
No, pineapple isn’t just good for decorating the rim of your fruit cocktail. Much like lemon, pineapple can improve your health when used to flavor your water. Plus, it helps you stay hydrated by giving a much-needed kick to the plain-old drink.
Prepare the pineapple water the day before and sip on it throughout the day. All it takes in half a pineapple per 2-liter pitcher of water. For maximum benefits, let the pineapple infuse overnight and collect the fruit and eat it too! Just make sure to make a fresh batch every day.
Here are a few reasons to adopt this healthy habit!
1. Fights Inflammation
Bromelain is a combination of enzymes that help modulate your body’s inflammatory response. Eating a serving of the fruit every day can reduce swelling, bruising, and pain after injury or surgery. It also dramatically reduces healing time. It can even manage chronic pain from arthritis just as effectively as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (1).
2. Supports Weight Loss
Pineapple water contains thiamine, which boosts energy by helping your body break down carbohydrates. This keeps you from feeling like you need an extra cup of coffee or another chocolate bar. Eating a few pieces of pineapple maximizes this effect since the fruit contains fiber, which helps you feel full and keeps your blood sugar levels in check (2,3).
3. Flushes Out Parasites
Just when you think it’s done enough, bromelain comes back around and fights again! Studies show that it can kill parasites like nematodes (roundworms), which are known to cause illness and death. Nematodes affect nearly 50% of the world’s population and can be a pain to treat (4).
4. Regulates Your Thyroid
Pineapples contain iodine, which is needed by the thyroid to create hormones such as TRH (thyroid-regulating hormone). Thyroid problems, such as hypothyroidism, can cause weight gain, low energy, and susceptibility to disease (5).
5. Balances Electrolytes
Pineapple water is chock-full of potassium, an important electrolyte. It’s used by your body to grow, develop, and maintain healthy bones and teeth. It also activates enzymes crucial for carbohydrate metabolism and plays a role in regulating blood pressure (6).