Pineapple juice offers a variety of health benefits, including helping with digestion, supporting weight loss, preventing anemia, and protecting against premature aging.
The benefits of pineapple juice come from good quantities of vitamin C, bromelain, flavonoids, nutrients and bioactive compounds with digestive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
To get all the benefits from drinking pineapple juice, it is important to include pineapple juice as one part of a healthy and well-balanced diet in combination with regular physical exercise.
Health benefits
The main benefits of drinking pineapple juice include:
1. Helping with digestion
Pineapple juice helps with digestion because it contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins and facilitates their absorption in the gut.
2. Preventing anemia
Pineapple is rich in vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron to help prevent iron-deficiency anemia.
Check out other foods for anemia.
3. Supporting weight loss
Pineapple juice can help support weight loss because it is low in calories.
To help with weight loss, however, pineapple juice should be included as part of a low-calorie diet in combination with regular physical exercise.
4. Treating respiratory conditions
Bromelain found in pineapple juice has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat respiratory conditions like sinusitis and bronchitis.
5. Preventing constipation
Pineapple juice contains fiber that helps prevent constipation by stimulating gut motility and increasing stool volume.
6. Maintaining a healthy heart
The vitamin C found in pineapple juice is an antioxidant that helps maintain healthy arteries and control levels of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol in the blood.
When consumed as part of a healthy diet, along with regular physical exercise, pineapple can help preserve heart health.
7. Protecting against premature aging
Due to its high level of flavonoids, a type of polyphenol with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, pineapple juice helps prevent premature aging by protecting the skin against damage caused by free radicals.
Also recommended: Antioxidants: Health Benefits, Food List & Supplements tuasaude.com/en/antioxidantsNutrition facts
The following table provides nutritional information based on an 8 oz (240 mL) serving of pineapple juice without added sugar:
The benefits of pineapple juice can be obtained by including it as part of a healthy diet in combination with regular physical exercise.
How to make
To make pineapple juice, simply cut a pineapple into cubes and combine it in a blender with filtered water and blend until smooth.
To obtain all of the benefits of drinking pineapple juice, it is recommended to avoid straining the juice or adding sugar or other sweeteners.
Pineapple juice can be consumed at any time of day, for breakfast, snacks, lunch, or dinner.
Precautions and recommendations
Because pineapple is an acidic fruit, pineapple juice may worsen symptoms of gastritis, acid reflux, and stomach ulcers by irritating the lining of the stomach and lowering the gastric pH (making it more acidic).
It is important to remember, however, that tolerance for these acidic fruits will vary from person to person. People with these conditions can speak to a registered dietitian about the possibility of including pineapple juice in their diet.
Healthy recipes
Examples of healthy and delicious pineapple juice recipes include:
1. Pineapple mint juice
Ingredients:
- 3 slices of pineapple;
- 8 oz (240 mL) filtered water;
- 5 fresh mint leaves;
Directions:
Cut the pineapple into chunks, then combine the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer to a glass and drink immediately.
2. Pineapple peel juice
Ingredients:
- 1 pineapple;
- 32 oz (1 L) filtered water;
- Honey or muscovado sugar to taste.
Directions:
Wash the pineapple well using a brush. Peel the pineapple and set the fruit aside (you will only be using the peel). Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain and drink immediately.
This recipe helps prevent waste and takes advantage of all of the benefits of the pineapple.
3. Pineapple lemonade
Ingredients:
- 1 pineapple;
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest;
- 32 oz (1 L) filtered water.
Directions:
Peel the pineapple and cut into cubes. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until reaching the desired consistency.
Transfer to a glass and drink, preferably without straining or adding sugar.
4. Pineapple smoothie with milk
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of pineapple (without the skin);
- 8 oz (240 mL) of milk.
Directions:
Blend the pineapple and milk together in a blender for 2 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency. Drink immediately, preferably without straining or adding sugar.
5. Pineapple kale juice
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of pineapple (without the skin);
- 1 kale leaf;
- Juice of 1 lemon;
- 8 oz (240 mL) filtered water;
- Ice as desired.
Directions:
Wash and tear the kale leaf, then cut the pineapple into cubes. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately, preferably without straining or adding sugar.
6. Pineapple ginger detox juice
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of pineapple (without the skin);
- 8 oz (240 mL) coconut water;
- ¾ in (2 cm) piece of fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger.
Directions:
Cut the pineapple into cubes and place all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend for 2 minutes, then transfer to a glass and drink immediately.
7. Pineapple orange juice
Ingredients:
- 2 oranges;
- 4 slices of pineapple (without the skin);
- 16 oz (500 mL) filtered water;
- Ice as desired.
Directions:
Peel the oranges and cut into segments, making sure to remove the seeds. Cut the pineapple into cubes.
Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately, without straining or adding sugar.