4 things you didn’t know about pineapple

Pineapple is a perennial tropical herbaceous plant of the Bromeliaceae family and is prized not only for its sweet taste, as it has been used for centuries to treat digestive problems and inflammation.

Nutritional composition

One cup of fresh pineapple chunks contains about 82 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g protein, 2 mg, 22 g total carbohydrates, including 16 g sugar and 2.3 g fiber 1 g protein .

1. Both the roots and fruits of the pineapple are medicinal

They can be consumed or applied topically as an anti-inflammatory or proteolytic agent. They are sometimes used to induce abortion or menstruation.

2. Pineapple is an excellent source of minerals and enzymes

The fruit is a very valuable source of the trace element manganese, which is an essential cofactor in several important enzymes involved in energy production and in the formation of defenses of the body from the action of free radicals. For example, the key enzyme superoxide dismutase, accelerating the dismutation of two superoxide radicals to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.

These radicals are released from the processes in the mitochondria, in which adenosine triphosphate is produced – the main source of energy for the cell. The enzyme superoxide dismutase uses manganese as a cofactor. Catalysis cannot take place without the presence of a metal atom in the active center of the enzyme.

In addition to manganese, pineapple is a good source of thiamine, vitamin B1, which also acts as a cofactor in basic enzymatic reactions to produce adenosine triphosphate – a compound whose bonds are rich in energy.

3. Pineapple is the only plant known to contain the valuable catalyst bromelain.

Bromelain is a natural enzyme found in the stem of the pineapple or in the fresh juice. It has been established that when pineapple is included in the daily menu, weight loss and limitation of inflammatory processes in the colon is achieved.

In addition, laboratory studies have shown that bromelain induces autophagy in breast carcinoma cells. The natural enzyme was found in a study to restrict the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as chemokines and positively affect patients with ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease. Bromelain has also been shown to be effective in relieving joint pain and helping to shorten recovery time after plastic surgery.

4. It is more effective than cough syrup

A glass of pineapple juice has a soothing effect on a sore throat and helps to more easily separate and expel the mucous secretion from the respiratory tract. The sticky mucus from the linings of the lungs and sinuses can cause seemingly endless spasms of sneezing, coughing and painful infections.

In a scientific study published in the journal “Der Pharma Chemica” in 2010, scientists are trying to find new ways to treat patients suffering from tuberculosis – an infectious a disease that is often caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In the study, researchers found that when patients used a mixture of pineapple juice, black pepper, salt, and honey daily, there was relief in respiratory symptoms. A follow-up study found that crude pineapple extracts can reduce phlegm and mucus 5 times faster than standard cough syrups.

Patients suffering from respiratory infections recover 4.8 times faster and in them there is a weakening of the manifestations of all symptoms related to cough and especially the dry one.