Let’s Look Health Benefits of Pineapple

By Samavia Amjad*, Mujahid Ali**, Tehseen Ashraf**

(*IFSN, UOS; **Horticulture, UOS)

Horticulture is the branch of agriculture dealing with delicious fruits. It is an art of growing plants like fruits, vegetables, flowers etc. It also includes plant conservation, landscape restoration, soil management and garden design its construction and maintenance. Horticulturist apply their skills and technologies to grow plants used for human food and non-food uses and for personal or social needs or requirements. They cultivate the plants with the aim of improving plant growth, yield, quality, nutritional value, and resistant to diseases, insects etc. Horticulturist worked as growers, gardeners, designer in the section of horticulture. Food science is indirectly related with horticulture. Pineapple is the major horticultural fruit. Christopher Columbus brought pineapples back to Europe after a hike to South America. Pineapples became known as a lavish fruit. Today pineapple can be easily found in any store or in any market around the world. In South America, pineapple is not only valued for its sweet taste, it has been used for centuries to treat digestion problems and inflammation. Now we discuss about the benefits of pineapple, consuming fruits and vegetables of all kind has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Pineapple decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. It also promotes complexion and hair, increased energy and caused the healthy weight loss. Pineapple’s possible benefits are: Age-related macular degeneration; a higher intake of pineapple reduced or decreased the risk or any progression of macular degeneration. Asthma prevention; the risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients and one of these is beta-carotene, and this one is found in pineapple. Blood pressure; increasing potassium intake by consuming high potassium fruits and vegetables could lower the blood pressure, so pineapple is a fruit which contain high potassium. Cancer; pineapple is an excellent source of antioxidant i.e. vitamin C, pineapple cure cancer by preventing the formation of free radicals. High fiber intakes from all fruits and vegetables are associated with a lowers risk of colorectal cancer. Digestion; pineapple because of their fiber and water content, help to prevent constipation and promote regularity and a healthy digestive tract.  Fertility; because free radicals damage the reproductive system, foods with high antioxidant activity like pineapples are recommended for those who trying to conceive. Antioxidants in pineapple have properties that affect both male and female fertility. Healing and inflammation; Bromelain an enzyme found in pineapple, can reduce swelling, bruising, healing time, and pain associated with injury and surgical intervention. Bromelain is being used to treat and reduced inflammation from tendinitis, sprains, strains, and other minor muscle injuries as well as swelling related to ear, nose, and throat surgeries or trauma. Heart health; fiber, potassium and vitamin C all support heart health. High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stone. Skin; vitamin C present in pineapple, can help to fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution, reduced wrinkles and improve general skin texture. Treats cough and cold; pineapple helps in preventing and treating respiratory illness, while eliminating phlegm and mucus from your body if you’ve already contracted an illness or infection. The immune system boosting property of Vitamin C is well known, but the special enzyme, bromelain, is also connected with the reduction of phlegm and mucus build up in the respiratory tracts and sinus cavities. Improves bone health; although pineapple is not famous for having strong calcium content, which most people immediately associate with bone health, it does have an impressive amount of manganese. Manganese is another trace mineral essential for the strengthening of bones, as well as their growth and repair. It is the most prominent mineral in pineapple, and a single serving can provide you with more important sensory organ of the human body and pineapple can improve eye health and prevent other age-related eye diseases. Macular degeneration affects many elderly people, and beta-carotene present in pineapple can help delay this vision problem. Improves blood circulation; in a related benefit to the vasodilating potential of potassium, pineapple also provides the body with copper, another essential mineral that functions in several enzymatic reactions and compounds in the body, copper is a necessary element for the formation of healthy red blood cells. High red blood cells count increases oxygenation to the various organ systems and make them function at optimal levels. It also increases cognitive abilities and can maintain neural pathways to prevent neural disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Improves oral health; along with the antioxidant compounds that protect against oral cancer, pineapple also has astringent properties, which strengthen gums and teeth. Astringent agents tighten up tissues and tone the body so that tooth loss, hair loss, muscle weakness and skin loosening do not occur. Pineapple is a very powerful astringent and is often prescribed as a natural remedy to fix the loosening of teeth or for the retraction of gums. Treats arthritis; pineapple can reduce the inflammation of joints and muscles, particularly those associated with arthritis, a debilitating disease that affects millions of people around the world. Boost immunity; pineapple helps in reducing illness and boosting the immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells and acting as an antioxidant to defend against the harmful effect of free radicals.

Mujahid Ali

I am a PhD scholar in Institute of Horticultural Sciences, UAF and Visiting Lecturer in Horticulture Department in University of Sargodha.

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