71. PINEAPPLE

                                                 PINEAPPLE

Nutrition in 100 gm
Energy: 50 kcal
Carbohydrates Sugar Dietary fibre	12.63 gm 9.26 gm 1.4 gm
Fat	0.12 mg
Proteins	0.54 mg
Vit B1 (Thiamin)	0.079 mg
Vit B2 (Riboflavin)	0.031 mg
Vit B3 (Niacin)	0.489 mg
Pantothenic acid (Vit B5)	0.205 mg
Vit B6	0.110 mg
Vitamin C	36.2 mg
Calcium	13 mg
Iron	0.28 mg
Magnesium	12 mg
Phosphorus	8 mg
Potassium	115 mg
Zinc	0.10 mg

Ripe pineapple or ‘ananas’ grows on a small plant. It is yellow from outside and inside. It is very sweet. The outer skin is full of thorns or spines and hence the name ‘pineapple’. It is mostly eaten fresh or in juice, ice cream, desert, jam, jelly, fruit salad.  If the thorns are not removed fully, your tongue can become rough and start bleeding after eating few pieces.

Pineapple is so beneficial that it is used in curing many ailments from a simple cold to diseases like cancer. It is a good source of manganese and vitamin C (anti-oxidant).

Benefits:

1. Childbirth: Pineapple is good for intestinal disorders and helps to induce child birth when a baby is over due.

2. Digestion: Being rich in fibre, pineapple helps digestion of food and elimination of toxins. Pineapple helps cure constipation.

3. Assimilation: Enzyme bromelain present in pineapple helps assimilation of vitamins and other nutrients. Bromelain helps breakdown of proteins. It is also good in killing parasites and worms.

4. Flavouring: Pinapple oil or essence is used in the preparation of cakes, cookies, desert, etc.

5. Fabric: The fibre extracted from the leaves is used in the manufacture of fabrics.

6. Wine: Pineapple is used as an ingredient in the preparation of some types of wine.

7. Uterine tonic: In Indian herbal medicine, pineapple is considered as a uterine tonic.

8. Dyspepsia: Sour, unripe pineapple is said to increase appetite and cure dyspepsia.

9. Gastric problem: sweet ripe pineapple cure gas problem.

10. Menstrual problem: Leaves of pineapple are used to cure irregular menstruation and pain during periods.

11. Sore throat: Drink small quantities of pine apple juice frequent intervals.

Danger: Pineapple contains proteolytic enzyme bromelain which breaks down protein. These enzymes can create problems in the preparation of jellies or other gelatine based desserts. The enzymes can be harmful to people suffering from protein deficiency diseases. Raw pineapple can be harmful to people with kidney or liver disease since it may reduce the time taken to coagulate the blood.