On hot summer days, a lot of people look forward to eating sweet and juicy pineapples. However, even if it’s not yet summer, there are still plenty of reasons why you should enjoy this tropical fruit.

Pineapples are packed with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, copper, thiamine, folate, potassium, and magnesium. Aside from these, one of its most notable components is an enzyme called bromelain, which is widely used for various medicinal applications. Because of these bioactive compounds, people can enjoy a lot of health benefits just by eating pineapples. Some examples of these health benefits include the following:

• Improving digestive health — Pineapples are rich in soluble and insoluble fibers that protect you against constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diarrhea by stimulating the passage of food along the digestive tract. Moreover, the digestive enzyme bromelain in pineapples helps break down proteins so that they can be easily absorbed by the body.
• Suppressing coughs — Instead of taking cough syrup from the drug store, why not use pineapples as a natural cough remedy? Pineapples don’t just taste better, they are also said to be five times more effective. The reason why this tropical fruit can suppress coughs is because it is rich in vitamin C that boosts the immune system and bromelain that breaks down mucus and prevents phlegm production. Additionally, pineapples have potent anti-inflammatory properties that help fight off infections and kill bacteria. (Related: Attention parents: Use pineapple juice to fight unwanted mucus and coughing instead of conventional cough syrup.)
• Strengthening bones — One of the lesser known benefits of pineapples is that they help improve bone health. This benefit can be attributed to the high manganese content of the fruit that improves bone strength, aids in growth, and promotes repair.
• Boosting oral health — Pineapples can boost your oral health without the toxicity associated with fluoride and other ingredients commonly used in oral care products. This fruit has potent astringent and antioxidant properties that help strengthen the gums and protect against oral cancer.
• Enhancing blood circulation — Another mineral that is abundantly found in pineapples is copper, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells. It is important to have enough red blood cells since they carry oxygen to the different parts of the body.
• Promoting wound healing — Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen, which is important for repairing damaged tissues. Fortunately, pineapples are rich in vitamin C so eating this fruit can encourage wound healing and even protect against infection.
• Reducing symptoms of arthritis — Patients who suffer from arthritis can alleviate some of their symptoms with the help of pineapples since these have anti-inflammatory properties. This benefit is once again attributed to the enzyme bromelain.
• Maintaining blood pressure — Potassium is an important mineral when it comes to lowering blood pressure since it counters the effects of sodium. Unfortunately, the majority of American adults are deficient in this mineral. By eating pineapples, you can also boost your potassium levels naturally.
• Preventing cancer — Among the different compounds found in pineapples, manganese is especially beneficial for preventing cancer. This is because manganese plays a pivotal role in the production of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. With the help of this enzyme, the number of cancer-causing free radicals in the body is lowered along with cancer risk.

For more news articles about the health benefits of pineapples, visit Food.news.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

Healthline.com

TheMindUnleashed.com

Heart.org