Pineapple reminds me of my husband’s birthday. Back in college, in our second or third year of dating, we had just moved to an apartment off campus. Even though most of our things were still packed, I wanted to make a pineapple carrot cake for my then-boyfriend’s birthday, his favorite. So, I did.
The kitchen was already well-stocked with various pots and pans, so I made a quick trip to the grocery store. After going through the tedious process of skinning and chopping a whole pineapple for the very first time, grating carrots, creaming butter with sugar and making the batter, I leaned down to put the first cake pan into the oven… only to realize that it was cold.
So, I did what any liberal arts student worth her salt would do, and I got creative. This could also be read as breaking and entering, depending on who you ask. Though nobody was home, the front door to the apartment across the hall (also populated by college students) was open, and their oven worked. At 10:30 at night on the eve of my love’s birthday, I scampered back and forth across the hall with one cake pan at a time.
Though the oven was in working condition in the dark and deserted kitchen across the hall, the overhead light fixtures were devoid of bulbs. It was pitch black, and cell phones at the time did not come equipped with flashlights. I was literally blind baking, but not in the usual sense of the phrase.
The cake baked in the dark, in secret, for nearly an hour, but I wasn’t caught. I topped it with a lemony cream cheese frosting and plenty of fresh pineapple. Even though it was a carrot cake, the pineapple shone as the star of the dessert and everyone wanted more. I bake the same cake for my husband’s birthday every year.
The point that I wish to make with this anecdote is that pineapple has a story. It may mean different things for different people, some good and others bad. For most of us, being told to eat more pineapple doesn’t take much convincing—it’s juicy and sweet, and it’s great on its own. Pineapple also makes a great addition to fruit salads, juice blends, cocktails and more! It is not a commonly allergenic food, and is widely available throughout the year in most grocery stores. But it’s also one of those foods that many of us eat without a thought, because it’s that delicious.
Pineapple is decidedly not like kale… or is it? Have you ever wondered about the nutritional benefits of pineapple? No? Well, maybe you should. Now’s your chance to do it. Here’s a short list to get you started on your path towards enlightenment, at least when it comes to knowing more about the benefits of the scary-looking but oh-so-delicious fruit that we know as the pineapple.
Packed with vitamin C for an immune system boost
During cold and flu season especially, moms everywhere tell their children to make sure they’re getting adequate quantities of vitamin C. Moms are rarely wrong- vitamin C is crucial for a functioning immune system. Making sure you get enough vitamin C can actually help to ward off infections, like common colds and the flu. And if you happen to ingest more than your body can handle? Your body will just flush it out, down the toilet, in liquid form, if you know what I mean.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it’s also water soluble. This means it helps to defend the body against those free radicals that you’ve probably heard about. Just in case you haven’t, free radicals are uncharged but highly reactive molecules with an odd number of electrons. They’re generated by the body and regulated by antioxidants, which prevent oxidative stress.
Without sufficient antioxidants to fight them off (or due to other factors, such as age) free radicals can cause damage at a microcellular level. Basically, free radicals are common, but certain types can be dangerous, leading to various types of diseases that are widespread today. Antioxidants can help to combat this damage.
Because vitamin C isn’t fat-soluble like some vitamins, this means it can be assimilated more easily by the body. Vitamin C and other anti-inflammatories help to combat the symptoms of common inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, metabolic disease and certain kinds of cancer.
A great source of other vitamins, too!
Manganese, copper, B vitamins and fiber can also be found in pineapple, and they also help your body to function at the highest level. Manganese is a key component of certain enzymes that help the body’s energy production and immune function. Certain B vitamins, like thiamin, serve for this as well.
You’ve probably heard so much about fiber at this point, that you’re at least aware of its role in the body. Basically, it aids digestive function. Most Americans aren’t getting nearly enough fiber in their diets, but the solution is simple. Increased intake from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains is best.
Just be aware—if you do suddenly commence on the path towards increased fiber intake (New Year’s resolution, perhaps?) just be sure to drink enough water. Having a bit of an upset tummy for a few days is common, at least until you adjust to all that fiber.
Make fresh juice- and drink the core
That’s right- that tough core is your friend, and you can eat it, too. Pineapple cores and stems are the only known source of bromelian, a multi-faceted naturally-occurring compound that scientists have found to contain key protein-digesting enzymes, among other things.
These enzymes, known as cysteine proteinases, are even available in pill form for the pineapple averse crowd, or for when you’re on the go. I once had a doctor prescribe these enzymes as part of a treatment program when she couldn’t figure out what was going on with my digestion back in college.
When I first read that these enzymes were able to digest protein, my thoughts immediately went to a story about tacos al pastor. Throughout time, modern nutritionists have found that the native diets of many cultures actually combine ingredients to form complete proteins.
The classic pairing of rice and beans is a perfect example. I wondered if the pineapple added to the meat that topped those tacos was in fact scientifically engineered not just for flavor, but to give the eater a more pleasurable dining experience all the way through the digestive process.
Though bromelian does act as a meat tenderizer (and refined extracts are used commercially for that very purpose), experts are convinced that it doesn’t have this effect in tacos al pastor. Instead, they claim it is added for flavor only, since the heat from cooking breaks down the enzymes in the pineapple long before it could have any real effect on the meat, or the digestive processes of the diner.
So, keep this in mind the next time you pick up the phone to order the famous pineapple-studded Hawaiian chicken from your favorite Chinese joint— you probably want to eat your pineapple, especially the bromelian-containing pineapple cores, in fresh form. Ideally, you would juice that fresh pineapple (skin and seeds removed, core intact) and drink it down immediately, in order to get the fullest nutritional benefit.
Canned pineapple still contains some vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients, but these degrade as a result of time and processing. As with most types of produce, fresh is best.
Bromelian is still being studied, but we already know that it offers additional benefits as well: like vitamin C, it’s anti-inflammatory and may help to reduce inflammation as well as excessive blood coagulation and certain types of tumor growth. Some doctors even recommend a bromelian supplement to shorten recovery time after plastic surgery. Not bad, especially for something that’s contained in the parts of a fruit that we normally throw away!
So, the next time you select a carefully prepped container of pineapple chunks from the convenience store down the street, or you find yourself imbibing a festive libation directly from this tropical fruit rather than sipping it from a cup, remember: pineapple isn’t all fun and games. But it is good for you.
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