Pineapple fruit was first discovered by Europeans in 1493 on the Caribbean island
that came to be known as Guadalupe.Pineapples are a composite of many flowers whose individual fruitlets fuse together around a central core.
Health Benefits
Anti-Inflammatory and Digestive Benefits
Bromelain is a complex mixture of substances that can be extracted from the stem and core fruit of the pineapple. Among dozens of components known to exist in this crude extract, the best studied components are a group of protein-digesting enzymes (called cysteine proteinases).
Originally, researchers believed that these enzymes provided the key health benefits found in bromelain, a popular dietary supplement containing these pineapple extracts.
In addition, researchers believed that these benefits were primarily limited to help with digestion in the intestinal tract. However, further studies have shown that bromelain has a wide variety of health benefits, and that many of these benefits may not be related to the different enzymes found in this extract.
Excessive inflammation, excessive coagulation of the blood, and certain types of tumor growth may all be reduced by therapeutic doses of bromelain when taken as a dietary supplement.
Bromelain extracts can be obtained from both the fruit core and stems of pineapple. Potentially important chemical differences appear to exist between extracts obtained from the stem versus the core fruit. However, the practical relevance of these differences is not presently understood. Most of the laboratory research on bromelain has been conducted using stem-based extracts, however.
Although healthcare practitioners have reported improved digestion in their patients with an increase in pineapple as their “fruit of choice” within a meal plan, we haven’t seen published studies that document specific changes in digestion following consumption of the fruit (versus supplementation with the purified extract. However, we suspect that the core fruit will eventually turn out to show some unique health-supportive properties, including possible digestion-related and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Antioxidant Protection and Immune Support
Vitamin C is the body’s primary water-soluble antioxidant, defending all aqueous areas of the body against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells.
Free radicals have been shown to promote the artery plaque build-up of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, cause the airway spasm that leads to asthma attacks, damage the cells of the colon so they become colon cancer cells, and contribute to the joint pain and disability seen in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
This would explain why diets rich in vitamin C have been shown to be useful for preventing or reducing the severity of all of these conditions.
In addition, vitamin C is vital for the proper function of the immune system, making it a nutrient to turn to for the prevention of recurrent ear infections, colds, and flu.
Manganese and Thiamin (Vitamin B1) for Energy Production and Antioxidant Defenses
Pineapple is an excellent source the trace mineral manganese, which is an essential cofactor in a number of enzymes important in energy production and antioxidant defenses.
For example, the key oxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase, which disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells), requires manganese.
In addition to manganese, pineapple is a good source of thiamin, a B vitamin that acts as a cofactor in enzymatic reactions central to energy production.
Protection against Macular Degeneration
Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight.
Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants’ consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss.
While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.
Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but pineapple can help you reach this goal. Add fresh pineapple to your morning smoothie, lunch time yogurt, any fruit and most vegetable salads. For example, try adding chunks of pineapple to your next coleslaw or carrot salad.
Tips for Preparing Pineapple
Pineapple can be cut and peeled in a variety of ways. Regardless of how you proceed, the first step is always to remove the crown and the base of the fruit with a knife.
To peel the pineapple, place it base side down and carefully slice off the skin, carving out any remaining “eyes” with the tip of your knife. Or cut the pineapple into quarters, remove the core if desired, make slices into the quarters cutting from the flesh towards the rind, and then use your knife to separate the fruit from the rind. Once the rind is removed, cut the pineapple into the desired shape and size.
You can also use pineapple corers that are available in kitchen supply stores. While they provide a quick and convenient method for peeling and coring pineapples, they often result in a good amount of wasted fruit since they often cannot be adjusted for different fruit size. Similarly, some markets offer devices that will peel and core the pineapple you purchase, but once again, this process may waste a lot of fruit.
Grilled Pineapple Mojito Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE:
2 Large Juiced Limes
1 Tablespoon Roughly ChoppedFresh Mint
1 Tablespoon of Honey
2 pounds of Small Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts
FOR THE BOWL:
1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil
½ cup of Uncooked Quinoa
1 cup of Water
½ Onion, Cut in Thick Rings
4 Pineapple Rings from A Can
3 Tablespoons of Roughly Chopped Cilantro,
2 teaspoons of Fresh Mint, Diced
2 Tablespoons of Toasted Coconut Flakes
2 Tablespoons of Pineapple Juice
½ Avocado, Peeled, Pitted and Sliced
2 Tablespoons of Toasted Macadamia Nuts,
Preparation
1st – In a medium-sized bowl, combine the lime juice, mint and honey. Add the chicken and flip them a couple of times to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2nd – To make the quinoa:
3rd – Heat the coconut oil on medium-high heat in a medium pan. Toast the uncooked quinoa until lightly golden and nutty smelling, about 2-3 minutes.
4th – Pour the toasted quinoa into a large pot and combine with water. Bring to a boil on high heat, and then cover and turn to low heat. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
5th – Heat your grill up to medium/high heat. When hot add your chicken and cook until it is no longer pink throughout, about 4-6 minutes a side depending on how hot your grill is. Remove chicken from the grill to a plate. Cover the chicken with some foil and set aside to let it rest.
6th – Turn the heat up on your grill to high heat, and add the sliced onions and pineapple rings. Cook until they have a nice char, about 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside and turn off the grill.
7th – In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, chopped cilantro, mint, coconut flakes, and pineapple juice. Toss until well mixed.
8th – Divide the quinoa between two bowls and top with avocado, grilled onions and pineapple, toasted macadamia nuts and a chicken breast.
9th – Serve it warm!
Notes: If you’re not sure how to to toast coconut flakes and macadamia nuts, I put them in a 400 F oven onto separate tin foil lined pans. Coconut flakes only take 2-3 minutes to go lightly golden, macadamia nuts take closer to 10 minutes. Be sure to watch closely so you don’t burn them.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276903.php
Organic Health
No comments:
Post a Comment