The Power of Pineapple
August 21st, 2019 by Stephanie Farrer
I always say that I learn the best things from my patients. The other day, I was working with a lady who told me that she chews on the cores of her pineapples. What? Why? I always thought the core of the pineapple was inedible—why would somebody want to chew on it?
Turns out the core of the pineapple IS edible—and contains the highest quantity of bromelain, an enzyme that functions as a natural anti-inflammatory. There are several studies that show that bromelain reduces inflammation factors and can help people suffering from several forms of arthritis—including rheumatoid arthritis. Bromelain may also aid in digestion, especially for people with pancreatic insufficiency.
Pineapples are low in calories and high in fiber. They are also high in Vitamin C (carrying 131% of the recommended daily allowance per cup serving), needed for growth and development—as well as a healthy immune system. Manganese, a mineral helpful for maintaining metabolism, is also abundant in pineapple (the same one cup serving has 76% of the RDI for manganese). Pineapples are also high in the antioxidants that deal with oxidative stress (a condition in which there are too many free radicals in our bodies). The antioxidants in pineapples, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, are “bound”—meaning they are able to survive longer and produce longer-lasting effects. Oxidative stress and inflammation have been shown in studies to be linked to cancer, so minimizing these factors is truly important. These antioxidants can also help reduce risk for diseases like heart disease—all around, good things!
For my athletes, strenuous exercise can damage muscle tissue and even lead to inflammation. Bromelain, found in pineapples, may speed up the healing process (since it aids in healing surrounding tissue inflammation) and help you recover faster and train harder.
So, do we need to be chewing on the core of the pineapple to get results? Not necessarily. While the core of the pineapple IS the area highest in bromelain and other nutrients—even adding pineapple or fresh pineapple juice to your daily routine will go a long way toward yielding good results. In talking to other patients while I prepped for this post, I learned that several people I know grind up a bit of the pineapple core and add it to their juicing routine. As for me, I will just try and “eat a little further down” into the core while I enjoy my pineapples.
If you decide to try this out and notice a difference in your inflammation—especially those of you who suffer from arthritis—I would love to hear about it. Please let me know if this was helpful to you!
—Stephanie
(PS: Yes, I did color the pineapple picture at the top of this post. See, I am multi-talented. You have my permission to make fun of me for it. HA!)
The Power of Pineapple
August 21st, 2019 by Stephanie Farrer
I always say that I learn the best things from my patients. The other day, I was working with a lady who told me that she chews on the cores of her pineapples. What? Why? I always thought the core of the pineapple was inedible—why would somebody want to chew on it?
Turns out the core of the pineapple IS edible—and contains the highest quantity of bromelain, an enzyme that functions as a natural anti-inflammatory. There are several studies that show that bromelain reduces inflammation factors and can help people suffering from several forms of arthritis—including rheumatoid arthritis. Bromelain may also aid in digestion, especially for people with pancreatic insufficiency.
Pineapples are low in calories and high in fiber. They are also high in Vitamin C (carrying 131% of the recommended daily allowance per cup serving), needed for growth and development—as well as a healthy immune system. Manganese, a mineral helpful for maintaining metabolism, is also abundant in pineapple (the same one cup serving has 76% of the RDI for manganese). Pineapples are also high in the antioxidants that deal with oxidative stress (a condition in which there are too many free radicals in our bodies). The antioxidants in pineapples, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, are “bound”—meaning they are able to survive longer and produce longer-lasting effects. Oxidative stress and inflammation have been shown in studies to be linked to cancer, so minimizing these factors is truly important. These antioxidants can also help reduce risk for diseases like heart disease—all around, good things!
For my athletes, strenuous exercise can damage muscle tissue and even lead to inflammation. Bromelain, found in pineapples, may speed up the healing process (since it aids in healing surrounding tissue inflammation) and help you recover faster and train harder.
So, do we need to be chewing on the core of the pineapple to get results? Not necessarily. While the core of the pineapple IS the area highest in bromelain and other nutrients—even adding pineapple or fresh pineapple juice to your daily routine will go a long way toward yielding good results. In talking to other patients while I prepped for this post, I learned that several people I know grind up a bit of the pineapple core and add it to their juicing routine. As for me, I will just try and “eat a little further down” into the core while I enjoy my pineapples.
If you decide to try this out and notice a difference in your inflammation—especially those of you who suffer from arthritis—I would love to hear about it. Please let me know if this was helpful to you!
—Stephanie
(PS: Yes, I did color the pineapple picture at the top of this post. See, I am multi-talented. You have my permission to make fun of me for it. HA!)
