Don’t be scared by that spiky skin. Pineapple is just as sweet as most candies, but it’s much better for you.
Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian, talks about how this tasty tropical fruit is good for your health and how to choose one that is fresh, tasty, and great.
Why is the pineapple so good for you?
Pineapple is a healthy dessert, side dish, or snack that can be eaten at any time. The serving size of one cup (165 grams) has only 75 calories and 0% of the daily value (DV) for cholesterol, sodium, and fat.
Here are a few ways that eating pineapple might be good for your health.
Gives you a lot of nutrients
Pineapple is high in vitamins and minerals and has few calories. With one cup of pineapple chunks, you can:
- Vitamin C: You’ll get a third of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C, which helps tissues grow and heal. Vitamin C might also help fight cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
- Manganese: Pineapple has more than 100% of your daily value of this important trace element. Manganese helps bones grow, the immune system work, and the body’s metabolism.
- Fiber: One cup of pineapple gives you almost 10% of the fiber you need every day. Zumpano says, “Fiber is important for a healthy gut and can help you stay full.”
- B vitamins: Pineapple is a good source of thiamin, niacin, B6, and folate, as well as a few other B vitamins. These nutrients help your body turn the food you eat into energy. They are also important for making new red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your organs and tissues.
- Minerals of all kinds: “Pineapple has minerals like copper, potassium, and magnesium that your body needs to work well.
Helps tissues get better
Zumpano says that pineapple is the only food known to have bromelain, an enzyme that helps your skin and tissues heal. “Bromelain seems to make chemicals that help fight pain and swelling.”
Bromelain from pineapple could also help your skin heal after an injury or surgery.
fights pain and swelling
Zumpano says, “Your body needs inflammation to help fight off diseases, but too much inflammation in the body, especially for a long time, can lead to diseases like cancer.” Bromelain’s anti-inflammatory properties can help fight inflammation and may stop some tumors from growing.
Of course, eating pineapple isn’t a surefire way to stay away from cancer. Zumpano says that eating a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables, like pineapple, can help prevent cancer and other health problems.
Aids digestion
Another reason why pineapple should be your go-to dessert: Pineapple has a lot of fiber, which helps digestion. It also has bromelain, which may help digestion, but there isn’t enough scientific proof to say for sure.
Pain relief for arthritis
Bromelain in pineapple may help people with osteoarthritis feel less pain because it reduces inflammation. Zumpano says, “If you have osteoarthritis and your joints hurt, try adding pineapple to your diet, but don’t stop taking your medications or change the dose without talking to your doctor.”
Helps you lose weight
Most people who are trying to lose weight are told to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. But pineapple might be the best fruit friend in your diet because its enzymes might help burn fat.
“The only studies on pineapple helping people lose weight were done on animals, so we need more proof of this claim,” says Zumpano. “But adding some of this healthy fruit to your diet couldn’t hurt.”
Recovery after a workout
When your muscles work hard, they cause inflammation, which makes you sore and can keep you from doing anything for up to three days. But adding pineapple to your smoothie after a workout could help you get back to your training schedule a little faster.
Zumpano says that pineapple’s anti-inflammatory properties could help relax muscles and help them heal faster.
How to choose the best pineapple
A ripe pineapple is sweet and juicy, like most other fruits. But unripe fruit will deliver bland, dry or sour flavor. Unlike avocados, peaches, and bananas, pineapple doesn’t keep getting riper after it’s picked, so leaving it out on the counter won’t help.
It doesn’t have to be hard to find a good one. Here are a few ways to pick a pineapple that is juicy and sweet.
What does a good pineapple look like?
When looking for pineapples that are just right, look for:
- A pineapple that is bright orange is overripe and past its prime. A pineapple that is still green isn’t ready yet. Look for one that has a golden color all the way through.
- Large eyes: Those little bumps on the skin can tell you something about what’s going on inside. If the knots are bigger, it means that the fruit had time to ripen on the tree.
Other signs that pineapple is juicy
If you want the best pineapple, you have to look past what it looks like. Also check:
- Sniff the bottom of the pineapple before you buy it to get a sense of its smell. Zumpano says, “A good one will smell clean and sweet.” Don’t buy ones that smell bad, like vinegar, or don’t smell at all.
- Firmness: A pineapple that is too hard is probably not ripe. It should give a little when you squeeze it, but it shouldn’t be mushy or soft.
- Leaves: The leaves should look fresh and green, and it should be easy to pick one off.
- Weight: For its size, a pineapple should feel heavy. Zumpano says, “That means there’s a lot of juice inside.”
How to keep pineapple fresh
Don’t wait too long to eat that perfect pineapple once you’ve found it. Improper storage could spoil your fruit. Here’s how to make it tasty:
- Most pineapple will be fine at room temperature for about two days on your counter. Keep it out of the sun and away from other sources of heat.
- Put a whole pineapple that hasn’t been cut up into pieces in the fridge. About five days should pass.
- Once it’s been cut, put freshly cut pineapple in a container with some of its juice and a lid to keep air out. Refrigerate for up to five days.
How to eat pineapple
When pineapple is cut into rings or chunks, it can be eaten on its own. But if you don’t want to cut it, many grocery stores sell pineapple that has already been cut. You can also use frozen or canned pineapple.
Zumpano says to choose canned pineapple packed in its own juice instead of syrup. “Pineapple is already sweet enough, so don’t add extra sugar when you can.”
Simple pineapple dishes
Pineapple doesn’t have to do everything by itself. This fruit can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. These recipes can give you some ideas:
- Grilled pineapple with lime and mint: Fire brings out the sweetness of pineapple, so try this tasty recipe for grilled pineapple.
- Caramelized pineapple with raspberries: This easy pineapple dessert looks and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant.
- Pineapple raspberry popsicles are a healthy way to feel like it’s summer any time of the year.
- Pineapple yogurt fruit salad is a tasty alternative to regular fruit salad that you can serve.
Some of the health claims about pineapple need more research, but there’s no doubt that it’s full of nutrients that can help your health. You can eat this bright, tangy fruit in many ways: slice it, cut it into chunks, grill it, or blend it.