-
Pineapple juice may not be as popular as other fruit juices.
Apple juice, orange juice, and even cranberry juice tend to be the most commonly seen juices on shelves. But where’s the pineapple juice? First grown in South America, this fruit now grows across the world. And it’s not only delicious but nutritious as well.
There are plenty of health benefits accompanying the sweet, tangy flavor you get with every sip of pineapple juice. When you see all the benefits that pineapple juice can bring to your diet, we’re sure you’ll be seeing more pineapple juice in your fridge.
The Nutritional Profile of Pineapple Juice
The great thing about the juice of any kind is that you pack in the nutritional content of fruits or veggies into a tasty, easily consumable package. All those pineapple chunks give you double the nutrients and minerals you’d usually consume with just one serving.
Pineapple has an impressive profile that drives its nutritional value. Here are some of the star nutrients and minerals that enrich every cup of pineapple juice.
Vitamin C
That sweet, tangy flavor you get from pineapple juice is often found in vitamin C-rich juices. With about a cup of pineapple juice, you’re getting over half your USDA recommended daily value.
Manganese
You may not be as familiar with manganese as with other nutrients, but manganese is an essential mineral that your body needs to carry out necessary functions. Manganese has been associated with processing cholesterol, carbs, and even the formation of our bones. And pineapple is a solid source of manganese.
Bromelain
Bromelain isn’t a word you would hear thrown around casually outside of a nutritionist’s office. However, it can be a super crucial dietary supplement that just so happens to be plentiful in pineapple juice.
Basically, bromelain is a collection of enzymes known for many health benefits, including reducing redness, swelling, and discomfort. It’s been used to address cancer symptoms, osteoporosis, and more. Pineapple has loads of bromelain, making it an excellent source for these powerful enzymes.
B vitamins
Pineapple juice is also rich in B vitamins. B vitamins do a lot for our body, particularly when it comes to our cells. B vitamins like folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin have been shown to help everything from boosting metabolism to making new blood cells, skin cells, and brain cells.
Other Minerals Found in Pineapple Juice
The prominent nutritional players found in pineapple juice are essential minerals like copper, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Pineapple is a rich source of these minerals, allowing you to reach your daily recommended intake with every sip.
What Are the Benefits of Pineapple Juice?
The nutritional profile of pineapple juice tells a story of what drives the wellness benefits you can get out of a cup of pineapple juice. So what are the benefits that result from pineapple juice’s nutritional stats?
#1: A Great Source of Antioxidants
Pineapple juice doesn’t just provide you with a refreshing taste. The many antioxidants you get from pineapple juice may be able to help your body detoxify.
Pineapple juice is rich in antioxidants. It’s got vitamin A and a group of antioxidants called flavonoids. These antioxidants help your body prevent a process called oxidative stress that can cause a wide range of health issues.
What’s oxidative stress? Oxidative stress is a process that occurs when the amount of free radicals in your body increases.
Free radicals are unstable molecules produced from natural processes like eating and exercising. They can also be caused by exposure to environmental toxins like cigarette smoke, carbon emissions in the air, or even sunlight.
As the free radicals build up, oxidative stress occurs, causing cellular degeneration across the body. Oxidative stress has been associated with an increased risk of developing severe health issues and other conditions.
Like the ones found in pineapple juice, antioxidants help prevent oxidative stress by stabilizing these free radicals in the body. Free radicals and oxidative stress are facts of life, but antioxidants may be a way to help curb their adverse effects.
For folks concerned about toxins in their body, pineapple juice presents you with an excellent opportunity to load up on antioxidants and fight the signs of swelling.
#2: Strong Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapples are often used as a natural folk medicine, thanks to their many health benefits.
Bromelain, the enzymes found in the fruit and stem of pineapples, has been a particularly intriguing subject of research for scientists learning to unlock the fruit’s medicinal properties.
Studies have shown that bromelain is closely associated with reduced redness and swelling, which helps our immune system stay effective.
#3: Strengthen Your Immune System
Speaking of your immune system, eating pineapple has been shown to strengthen our immune system, helping our bodies stave off infections and boost recovery.
People who consume pineapple have been shown to experience lower risks of developing viral and bacterial infections.
In one study, participants were broken into three groups for nine weeks. One batch of the participants had no pineapple in their diet, while another batch consumed 140g of pineapple, and the last group was given 280g of pineapple to eat.
The groups that ate canned pineapple demonstrated a lower likelihood of getting sick. When they did get sick, they were shown to recover faster. So not only does pineapple help you stave off ailments, but it helps you get over them more quickly.
#4: May Help With Digestion
Remember bromelain? It isn’t just an anti-inflammatory. Bromelain is a prolific part of what makes pineapple juice such a healthy part of your diet. In fact, there’s strong evidence that consuming more bromelain can help your digestion.
Bromelain, in this case, may help your body break down protein molecules so that they can be more easily digested. This lessens the burden put on your small intestine, allowing you to extract the nutrients from food and swiftly go through the digestive process.
Bromelain is used as a meat tenderizer in the food industry, which speaks to its ability to break down proteins. Pineapple on pizza is making a little more sense now.
#5: Help Boost Heart Health
Pineapple juice can help improve blood circulation and ensure smooth blood flow in the circulatory system. What’s more, the bromelain found in pineapple juice helps make blood thinner, which helps reduce heart health risks.
Make PUR a Part of Your Diet
It’s never been easier to include more delicious pineapple juice into your diet. Just check out some of our juices and take your pick!
Do you find yourself not eating enough fruits and veggies? What’s great about juicing is that it can give you a streamlined way to get all the nutritional benefits of eating fruits and veggies you may be missing out on.
Whether you’re looking for a tasty juice to pack your diet with missing nutrients, or you want to do a hard health reset with a juicing cleanse, PUR cold-pressed has every option available for you to choose from.
Learn more about our wellness mission here!
Sources:
Pineapple juice, 100% | Nutrition Value
Pineapple, raw, all varieties | U.S Department of Agriculture
A complete guide to B vitamins | Medical News Today
Potential role of bromelain in clinical and therapeutic applications | PubMed
Beneficial Properties of Bromelain | PubMed
