The benefits and properties of pineapple They are numerous: it reduces the risk of macular degeneration, improves digestion, prevents aging, reduces the risk of suffering from asthma, lowers blood pressure, is diuretic, among others.
Despite what many believe, the origin of the pineapple is not found on the beaches of Hawaii, but on the island of Guadalupe. Christopher Columbus, in one of his expeditions in the area, brought the pineapples to Europe. Given its success, it would later spread to a large number of countries.
In its beginnings, it was understood as a luxury food with benefits for health, worthy of banquets and special celebrations.
To this day, pineapple is an everyday food in our diets that has large benefits, properties, nutrients and vitamins, and that is usually used as a dessert or snack mainly.
Apart from its flavor, throughout history, this delicious fruit has been used for its medicinal properties to treat digestive problems and inflammations..
When we were little, they always told us how good the vegetables (and specifically the carrot) were so that we had an optimal vision in the future. Well, it turns out that it is as much, or more important, the pineapple in this field.
According to data published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, the consumption of 3 or more servings of fruit per day can reduce the risk of Advanced Macular Degeneration with Age (AMD).
The study indicates that the possibility of suffering it is reduced by 36% by taking 3 pieces of fruit a day compared to those who only take 1.5 pieces a day. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in adults.
The research, which was carried out in more than 110,000 men and women, determined that vegetables, antioxidant vitamins, and carotenoids were not closely related to the incidence on AMD, and fruit was.
A priori, many people may sound like a lot of 3 pieces of fruit a day, but the easy mix of pineapple as a smoothie, including salads, yogurts, or whatever you can think of, will make it easier for you to get it.
Pineapple has a digestive enzyme called bromelain, which is extracted from the stem, and from raw pineapple.
Bromelain in turn contains several enzymes called proteinases that have been demonstrated both in laboratories and in animal and human studies, their anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, anti-oedematous, and fibronolytic properties.
Bromelain has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory agent capable of reducing diseases whose symptoms include inflammation. This is the case for diseases such as acute sinusitis, arthritis, sore throat, or gout..
Being a good anti-inflammatory agent, it is a good option in cases of healing of small muscle injuries such as sprains or strains.
There is as yet unproven evidence that bromelain - being anti-inflammatory - has anticancer agents.
Bromelain also works as a natural anticoagulant, although there are also indications that it can cause beneficial changes in white blood cells, which improve the immune system.
Pineapple is a fruit high in vitamin C. This is the body's main water-soluble antioxidant vitamin, and it defends all watery areas of the body from harmful microorganisms found daily..
Pineapple is also one of the foods that best fights the common cold, the flu, and all the diseases that come as a result of the cold as it strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin C takes care of the defense of all the watery areas of the body against free radicals (substances that attack healthy cells).
In addition, pineapple is a food source rich in iodine, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, useful for the thyroid and nerve cells.
Diseases such as atherosclerosis, diseases linked to the heart, or diabetes, can be caused by the accumulation of free radicals.
The risks of developing asthma are lower in people who consume a large amount of certain nutrients such as beta-carotene, which is found in plant-based foods such as pineapple, mango, papaya, apricots, broccoli, melon, pumpkin and carrots.
Diets rich in beta-carotene may also play a protective role against prostate cancer according to a study conducted by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Research has been shown to have an inverse relationship with the development of colon cancer in the study of the Japanese population.
Pineapples are a valuable source of minerals like potassium. This is one of the most important minerals in our body, and its shortage in our body can lead to a wide variety of health risks.
One of the most important functions of potassium is that of a vasodilator, which means that it relieves tension and stress on the blood vessels, promoting blood circulation to different parts of the body..
When blood vessels relax, blood pressure is lowered, and blood flow is normal..
This can prevent clots from forming and blocking blood flow. Also, it reduces the accumulation of plaque in the arteries and vessels..
This helps prevent diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes..
In our body, a large amount of toxins and waste accumulate as a result of poor diet, pollution, or the use of chemicals, among other factors..
Pineapple has diuretic and detoxifying qualities that promote the elimination of all those substances that can affect health if they are not expelled properly and in due time..
In this regard, we can talk about the pineapple diet as a plan to detoxify the body at specific times:
It must be made clear that the pineapple diet is not an eating plan to be used every day. Its use must be limited to a maximum of 5 days, and carried out two or three times a year..
This diet is intended to stimulate the elimination of waste, and retained fluids. As a collateral element, it helps you lose weight quickly when you have healthy lifestyle habits..
Pineapple diet example:
Because pineapple is a great meat tenderizer, overeating can lead to some tenderness of the mouth, including the lips, tongue, and cheeks..
These effects are usually easily detected, but if you do not, or experience a skin rash, hives, or difficulty breathing, you should seek medical help immediately, as you may have a pineapple allergy..
Due to the high amount of vitamin C that pineapples contain, its consumption in large quantities can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or heartburn..
Also, high doses of bromelain can cause excess blood in the menstrual period of women, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Bromelain can also interact negatively with some medications. Those taking antibiotics, blood thinners, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, and tricyclic antidepressants should be careful not to eat too much pineapple.
Eating green pineapple, or drinking unripe pineapple juice, is dangerous according to the department of horticulture at Purdue University (USA).
In this state, pineapple juice is toxic to humans, and can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting..
Pineapples were discovered by a Spanish expedition in 1493 on the Caribbean island of Guadalupe.
The first attempts by Europeans to cultivate the fruit failed until they realized that it needed a tropical climate to flourish..
In the late 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers introduced pineapples to their colonies in Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific..
Because pineapples are highly perishable foods, fresh pineapples were a rarity for American settlers back then, who interpreted it as a luxury food and a symbol of social prestige.
Pineapples were first grown in Hawaii in the 18th century. This is the only part of the US where they continue to grow..
Other countries that commercially grow pineapples include Thailand, the Philippines, China, Brazil, and Mexico..
Pineapple canneries use all of its components, and it takes almost three years for pineapple to mature.
The skin, or juice, is used to make a wide variety of products, including vinegar, alcohol, and pet food..
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