Give your health a boost this winter with a nutritional punch from pineapple. Pineapple is a natural, dietary way to boost your immune system, fight inflammation, and even fight coughs, congestion, and parasites!
Bromelain is abundant in pineapple, and it’s the main reason for it’s health benefits. The best way to get it is to juice the hard core/stem of the pineapple, which has the highest concentration. Cooking (or buying pasteurized juice) will reduce the amount of bromelain.
Research says the anti-inflammatory effects may be strong enough to offer a competitive form of pain relief for people with arthritis.
Want to digest a heavy meal better? Try a tropical fruit dessert. Pineapple and papaya have powerful enzymes that will help breakdown most food groups.
And there’s evidence it may help with cleansing parasites, but not enough research to say exactly how well it works.
But the best use of pineapple? Fighting coughing and mucus this winter. When a cold strikes, pineapple is a delicious way to break up mucus and breathe easy. The recommended conconcotion? Pineapple juice, salt, pepper, and honey. But it has to be raw pineapple juice to be effective. Or here’s a tastier recipe: pineapple juice, lemon juice, raw ginger, honey, and cayenne pepper. Pineapple juice keeps well in the fridge without loss of nutrients.
Drinking pineapple juice will also give you a hearty boost of vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, potassium, manganese, calcium and fiber.
Important note: certain medications, like beta-blockers, aren’t safe to mix with pineapple juice. If you take medications, consult a doctor and nutritionist.
Do you have a favorite pineapple-based juice recipe to share?