Pineapple fruit is one of my favorite fruits in existence. Its sweet taste and the yellow color are the perfect combo for instant happiness. I am delighted that it’s seriously beneficial to your fitness and health routine as well. Just a few slices of this juicy fruit might also be exactly what you’re craving before or after a strenuous workout.
I bet you didn’t know that pineapple fruit also has properties that make an ideal workout snack. This is due to its carbohydrate content which fuels the activities you’re taking on. In addition, the fruit is abundant in a compound called bromelain which may aid in recovery time too.
So does this warrant another pineapple smoothie?
Eating chunks of pineapple is one of my chosen tactics to completely satisfy my sweet tooth and at the same time get in a bunch of antioxidants which might help relieve muscle soreness.
Pineapple Fruit Is a Tasty Recovery
Doctors say that when you add pineapple to your diet, it’s just like medicine. You’re basically setting yourself up to heal injuries faster whilst boosting your post-workout gains. Weirdly, the pineapple fruit is a fruit that many of us walk past casually in the local grocer. Well, not if you’re like me, and you’re a little obsessed, I suppose. However, if you do this then you need to change your shopping list because pineapple is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and K, a variety of B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and copper.
Quite a large amount of good nutrition to miss out on, right?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that plays a crucial role in tissue growth and healing. According to Dr. Ruth Frechman, R.D., pineapple fruit helps repair and maintain cartilage and bones, which is especially helpful for athletes. In addition, the sweet fruit contains large amounts of fiber, which is fantastic for lowering cholesterol levels. Plus, you will get a vitamin B6 boost to help with the formation of red blood cells. Pineapple is also filled with manganese, which is an important mineral your body needs in small amounts. But it is not often found in today’s processed foods.
Frechman says that the most outstanding nutrient pineapple possesses is an enzyme called bromelain. Apparently Bromelain aids in the digestion of protein, and it may be used to curb inflammation in athletic injuries. But most importantly, the fruit is only as good as its natural state. This means that you should eat it regularly so long as you do not add any extra sugar to the pineapple. But whether it’s fresh, canned, or in juice form, it still maintains its health benefits.
Eat It And Embrace Your Fitness Gains
It’s really a load of nonsense when somebody tells you that you need to avoid eating fruit. If you’re experiencing problems with your weight, it’s most likely not because you’re eating too much fruit. Better yet, the pineapple fruit is low in calories and fat-free. Moreover, it’s an amazing source of vitamin C and manganese. Just 1-cup of fresh pineapple slices contains 83 calories, 22 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber. And it also meets 131 percent of the daily value for vitamin C and 77 percent of the daily value for manganese.
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to be a bodybuilder or simply trying to gain some lean muscle mass. If you want to get more protein into your diet – then pineapple fruit is a good way to start because it helps your body absorb protein more efficiently. However, carbs are just as important. If you don’t consume enough carbs in your diet, your muscles won’t have the opportunity to strengthen and grow. Carbs can provide your body with energy to perform optimally. Plus, you need to get enough carbs so that your body doesn’t use protein from your muscles for energy. The key is to include high-quality carbs that offer other nutritional benefits.
Strenuous exercises like weight lifting or high-intensity workouts put your body under additional stress. Important antioxidants help your body fight against this stress. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism discovered that vitamin C reduces muscle soreness and oxidative stress from exercise. However, this study used high doses of supplemental vitamin C. The best way to increase your intake is by getting your antioxidants from food, like antioxidant-rich pineapple fruit, and not a supplement.
Pineapple Fruit Heals You
If you’re prone to extreme muscle soreness, and you can’t find a way to stop it from happening, pineapples are the long-awaited treatment for your inflammation. This is because of the high amount of bromelain they contain which provides anti-inflammatory properties. Apparently, doctors have approved bromelain for use in treating post-surgical swelling.
Even certified clinical nutritionists state that bromelain helps break down inflamed tissue and may help prevent muscle damage post-exercise. Your body’s natural body storage of the enzyme does start to deplete with age. If you want to increase your stores, then it’s best to incorporate more pineapple fruit into your diet along with a supplemental dose of bromelain.
Pineapple Fruit Snack Ideas
This fruit is famous for its super-sweet flavor. I also love pineapple because it goes well with a number of protein foods.
To make the perfect post-workout snack:
Serve pineapple with a low-fat cottage to get the carbs and protein your body needs for healing. You could also whip it up in a blender with Greek yogurt and ice for a healthy and sweet smoothie you can drink on the go.
At lunch, place a slice in your sandwich or add a few cubes to your salad. You can also grill the tasty fruit and serve it with your chicken or fish at dinner.
