Skip to content

The Secret Health Benefits of Pineapple

Clean Plates Team
|
July 20, 2021
Photo Credit: Treasures & Travels

Pineapple conjures images of frosty vacation drinks served poolside, and rightly so. Who doesn’t love a tropical margarita? But it turns out this pineapple has some health benefits you may not know about.

For starters, pineapple is an excellent source of bromelain, an enzyme that aids in digestion and can help prevent indigestion and bloating. It’s also a good source of vitamin C and the mineral manganese. This trace mineral is important for healthy bones and may help fight PMS, among other benefits.

So the next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a pineapple and reap the health benefits!

How to Buy, Prep, and Eat Pineapple

Buy: Instead of buying it pre-cut, we like to buy the whole fruit—preferably fair trade and organic—for a treat that tastes better and is also cheaper. To find a perfectly ripe pineapple at the market, give the base a sniff and choose one with a fragrant sweet scent. You should also look for bright green crown of leaves that can be pulled from the stem with only slight resistance and golden-brown skin that yields to light pressure.

Prep: It may seem intimidating, but it’s really not that hard! Brush up on how to cut pineapple into perfect rings and wedges here, then store in the fridge. And don’t toss that core: The strength of the bromelain is at its most potent in the core.

Eat: Blending chunks into your smoothie is a super-simple way to get more pineapple in your diet. But it’s not the only way! Try melting dark chocolate over low heat and drizzling ribbons over chilled pineapple spears. This makes for a fast and impressive dessert that brings the tropics home. Or toss chunks of pineapple with cilantro, red onion, olive oil and apple cider vinegar for a quick salsa.

Hungry for more?

 

Good food
brings
people together.
So do
good emails.

What our editors love right now

Good food brings people together.
So do good emails.

  • Hidden
  • Hidden
  • Hidden
  • Hidden