Pineapple: The Secret to Lowering Inflammation?

The queen of fruit is the pineapple. It’s a delicious fruit that goes well with almost anything. Pineapple pizza anyone?

Its combination of sweet and sour has mesmerized the taste buds of millions.

It is said that back in the 1700s pineapples were sought after so badly that they would cost $8000 in today's dollars. The reason was that the fruit was exotic and hard to find. Thankfully you don’t have to pay $8000 to get your hands and mouth on a juicy pineapple.

benefits of consuming pineapples

Not only are pineapples now affordable but they provide you with a long list of benefits. It is very high in vitamin c which we need for a strong immune system. Unlike other animals, humans don’t make their own vitamin c so we have to get it from outside sources. Pineapples are surely a tasty way to get more vitamin c.

The Bromelain compound in pineapples is what gives its anti-inflammatory properties. According to a study published on NCBI, it decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines in your blood trigger your body to fight it off with inflammation. This is why having fewer cytokines in your body is a good thing and leads to less inflammation. To read more about the study, visit it here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991605/

Pineapple is a great food to add to your list if you are following an anti-inflammatory diet. Not to mention, it has a high amount of antioxidants that keep your immune system healthy and strong.

fun fact about pineapples

The other day I heard a fun fact about Michael Jordan.

The greatest basketball player of all time had a secret go-to juice… pineapple juice. His teammates say that was the weirdest thing about him, that he was always drinking pineapple juice. Did Michael Jordan know something we didn’t know? Maybe the pineapple juice helped him combat inflammation and allowed his joints to recover faster and better than his opponents. Food for thought.

Pineapples are also a great source of fiber, so make sure not just to drink the juice but also to make sure to eat the actual fruit.

I prefer organic pineapples over non-organic pineapples as it has been shown that organic foods have more nutrients than conventional non-organic foods.

grow your own pineapples!

Another thing that I love about Pineapples is that they are easy to grow in container pots if you live in an area like the tropics where they grow easily. So essentially whenever you buy 1 pineapple, you are getting another one free if you are patient. Actually you can get an unlimited amount!

The enzymes in pineapples also aid in digestion. Having a little bit of pineapple with your food can help breakdown and better absorb some foods.

So next time you are looking for a healthy treat that also helps you lower inflammation, consider adding some pineapple to your life (and pizza). BTW if you are eating pizza, make sure it’s a healthy one like those found on this site. If you eat a pizza high in artificial sugar, vegetable oils, and gluten you will just create a cytokine storm in your body that will increase inflammation.

With small changes in your diet and other healthy choices you will on your way to living a life with less pain and better joints!

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