Pineapple Nutrition
Pineapple Nutrition Facts And Figures
A quick look at a pineapple nutrition chart should convince you that this is a very healthy fruit indeed. Like most fruits, the pineapple largely consists of water, about 85% of it in fact. The remaining 15% however, is chock full of things essential to our well being, all topped off by a great flavor.
Pineapple Nutrition Facts - A few pineapple nutrition facts to get started. A cup of fresh, ripe pineapple, roughly 100 grams, will give you half a gram of protein, 1.2 grams of dietary fiber, and approximately 8 grams of sugars. The 8 grams of sugars is the only really negative factor regarding pineapple nutrition, but the presence of several important trace elements more than makes up for this. Of course the sugars add much to the wonderful flavor of the pineapple, and the amount of sodium, an element we don't want to take in too much of, is on the order of 1 milligram. The high sugar content does mean however, that pineapple is not the best food choice for a diabetic.
The pineapple is rich in potassium, providing 113 milligrams per 100 gram serving. A serving also will provide you with 14 milligrams of magnesium, 7 milligrams of phosphorous, 15 milligrams of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and smaller, but important amounts of selenium, manganese, copper, and iron. Also of importance, the total amount of cholesterol in a serving of pineapple is a whopping zero!
Besides the aforementioned elements which contribute to your well being, there are tiny amounts of nutrients in pineapple which act as anti-oxidants, and offer some protection against cancer. In addition, these nutrients aid in breaking up blood clots, and are believed to be beneficial to the heart. Pineapple nutrition factors include elements which have a soothing influence on the digestive system. If is a known fact that pineapple juice will kill some intestinal worms, and also is an inflammation fighting agent. Pineapple juice is useful in treating sore throats and sinusitis. For the latter two situations, eating fresh pineapple between meals is recommended. Pineapple is also rich in Vitamin B1. Important in promoting good blood circulation, vitamin B1 also increases the efficiency with which oxygen is supplied to the blood cells, and aids the digestive process by assisting in the metabolism of carbohydrates.
Have A Pineapple Pizza And Milkshake - Pineapple can be eaten either fresh (raw) or cooked. When cooked it will naturally lose a certain percentage of its nutritional value, but still remains a nutritious food. Cooked pineapple is great with ham and makes a nice topping for a Hawaiian-style pizza, together with ham or Canadian bacon. Fresh pineapple makes a fine appetizer or a part of a fruit tray, is good with ice cream, and a fresh pineapple milkshake is as good as it gets.
Pineapple is a tropical plant and is not, as many assume, native to the Hawaiian Islands. The pineapple actually originated in South America, in the region surrounding southern Brazil and Paraguay, and was eventually introduced to Hawaii, where most of our pineapple comes from today. The fruit will generally not ripen once harvested, so it must be harvested after it has become ripe. This fact tended to make consumption of fresh pineapple somewhat of a rarity outside of Hawaii, so much of the harvested pineapple was canned before shipment overseas. With the rapid transportation we have available today, fresh pineapple is available almost anywhere. Canned pineapple is still widely sold of course, but it contains much more sugar than many people want to have in their diet.
Customize The Flavor - If you purchase a whole pineapple, you can usually count on it keeping for about a week if you place it in your refrigerator. Facts about pineapple nutrition aside, here's a little hint you might take advantage of to get the most eating enjoyment out of a fresh pineapple. The sugars tend to concentrate near the bottom of the pineapple, so if you cut off the top, and place the plant upside down on a plate an hour or so before you plan to slice and eat it, the sugars will gravitate downwards through all of the flesh, making the pineapple equally sweet throughout. Another hint: - pineapple juice is somewhat acidic. If it's too acidic for your taste, try adding a dash of lime juice. This tends to take the acidity away. Enjoy your pineapple!