Pineapple is a delicious and tropical fruit that is healthy in a way you wouldn’t expect. It’s full of nutrients, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds, like enzymes that can protect you from infections and diseases. You can eat it fresh, baked, grilled or even as juice.

Pineapple originated in South America. While it is often associated with the island of Hawaii, it is not the primary origin of pineapples, but it is now one of its main crops. This delicious tropical fruit adds sweetness to popular foods and cocktails like the pina colada. It is also an essential ingredient in dessert recipes such as the classic pineapple upside-down cake.

Preparing fresh pineapple is easy if you know how to cut it, It is sure to make your favorite recipes more beneficial as pineapple and its compounds are associated with many health aspects, Including improving digestion, immunity and recovery from surgeries.

Loaded with nutrients:

Pineapple is low in calories but loaded with nutrients that will impress you. Just 1 cup (165 grams) of pineapple chunks will provide you with the following nutrients:

• Calories: 83
• Fats: 1.7 grams
• Protein: 1 gram
• carbohydrates: 21.6 grams
• Fiber: 2.3 grams
• Vitamin C: 88% of your Daily value (DV)
• Manganese: 109% of your daily value
• Vitamin B6: 11% of your daily value
• Copper: 20% of the daily value
• Potassium: 4% of your daily value
• Magnesium: 5% of your daily value

Pineapple also contains trace amounts of phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and vitamins A and K.

And if you pay attention to the numbers above, you will find that this fruit is particularly rich in vitamin C and manganese. Vitamin C is essential for your immunity, iron absorption in your body, growth and development, while manganese provides antioxidant properties and aids in growth and metabolism.

One of the most important benefits of pineapple, that is still under study, is that it may speed up your recovery after surgery or strenuous exercise:

While this fruit helps replenish carbohydrate stores after consuming it during exercise, some of its benefits are also due to the presence of bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Numerous studies have shown that bromelain may reduce inflammation, swelling, bruising, and pain that often occurs after surgery, including dental and skin surgeries.

Two studies indicate that bromelain may reduce discomfort, pain, or swelling after you undergo a dental surgery.

Furthermore, one study found that bromelain improved the healing process after skin surgeries. However, its use for these purposes remains controversial.

Also, pineapple contains proteases. Like bromelain, it may speed up your muscle recovery after strenuous exercise by reducing inflammation around damaged muscle tissue.

Do not worry, it is very easy to add it to your diet, you and all members of your family:

This fresh fruit is easy to find in many grocery stores and markets, even out of season as you can buy it canned, dried or frozen all year.

– You can enjoy pineapple on its own or in smoothies, salads, or pizza.

Here are some delicious pineapple recipe ideas:

For breakfast: a cup of pineapple juice with blueberries and Greek yogurt.

For the salad: a plate of grilled chicken, almonds, pineapple on top of lettuce or other vegetables.

Lunch: Hawaiian burger (beef burger with pineapple ring).

For dinner: pizzola (beef ribs with pineapple) You can find this healthy recipe among the recipes offered from Sara PopFit on the site.

For dessert: Homemade Pineapple Shake (frozen pineapple chunks mixed with some coconut milk and a splash of lemon juice).

Also, Sarah prepared a recipe for meat with pineapple pizzola, try it and give us your opinion.

But many people do not eat pineapple because of the time it takes to peel and cut it, but do not worry. Here are the correct steps to cut a pineapple:

1- Lay the pineapple horizontally on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top of the green crown and about ½ inch from the top of the fruit.

2- Cut the outer skin from top to bottom with the tip of a knife.

But don’t cut too deeply. The outer layer of the pineapple contains the best taste, so keep it if you can.

3- Remove the peel.

4- Now you have a pineapple dotted with eyes that you need to remove. You can use a small paring knife to carefully remove each one, but there is an easier way.

5- Cut v-shaped pieces within the fruit so that the piece contains as many seeds as possible. Continue to repeat this step around the fruit. You’ll waste some of the good pineapple this way, but not much, and it’s a much faster method than trying to remove every single seed.

6- There are several ways to make the final pieces, depending on how you want to serve them. If you want them as discs, place the pineapple on its side and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. To make rings, remove the hard core.

And the good thing:

Eating pineapple is considered as not risky unless you are allergic to it. In this case, it should be avoided completely.

Also, you should pay attention if you are a diabetic, pay attention to the quantities you eat to maintain the stability of your blood sugar.

However, even if you don’t suffer from allergies or diabetes, eating a lot of pineapple can have side effects. Some people complain that eating unripe pineapple causes them to have stomachaches, nausea, and diarrhea.

It is always best to choose a ripe pineapple as the inside should be light to medium yellow in color.

We advise you, dear, not to miss the opportunity to enjoy a cold glass of pineapple juice in the summer sun.

Written by: Mai Majar

Sources:

healthline

skimresources

simplyrecipes