Call me Carmen Miranda if you want, but I'd be happy to wear a couple of these on my head and take 'em with me everywhere I went. Highly impractical I know, but like I said, I'm slightly obsessed.
There are so many health benefits to fresh pineapple that you just may not realise how darn good it is for you:
* Phillip Day (world renown health researcher and medical journalist) recommends eating half a pineapple a day for it's anti-cancer enzymes. My grandma died of cancer so it's something that does weigh on my mind at times.
* My other grandma suffered with Osteoporosis: pineapple is high in Manganese which is super important in building strong bones and connective tissue. 75% of our daily manganese requirements is in a cup of crushed pineapple.
* I have suffered extremely painful joints in my hands and feet as symptoms of my fibromyalgia - pineapple is chock-a-block full of the enzyme Bromelain - known for it's anti-inflammatory benefits and pain relief. Hello? Bring it on!
* It's also known to aid digestion, is sky-high in Vit C and reduces mucus in the throat - perfect for cold & flu season.
* And this is clincher: "On top of which, you also have the benefit of consuming fruit before noon on an empty stomach to assist the body in shedding weight and toxins during elimination. Pineapples are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes - all in all, a right royal addition to the morning arsenal to promote great health and healing." ("Simple Changes" by Phillip Day, P 99 - If you want to understand what elimination involves in our digestion cycle: see here).
Soooooooooooooo ............ more pineapple is a very good thing! Bring on the Pina Coladas (non-alco of course)! It was my friend who first started talking about it on her blog My Little Yummy Tummies and it got me so excited cause I love pineapple and I love coconut milk so it didn't take me long to sort out my own quickie version in the blender - fresh pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut milk & passionfruit - blended and then frozen. Then you scrape up the ice into a glass and add a squeeze of lime juice and another splash of pineapple juice to give it a bit more liquid. So delicious I cannot tell you. I have served this to all my preggie friends at our Christmas party and again at a Baby Shower -very popular and makes you feel slightly "spesh".
My other pineapple go-to is my blender juice I do first thing in the morning for all those special benefits: a cup of p'apple chunks, a few sprigs of mint leaves, a small handful of frozen raspberries, a tsp of grated fresh young ginger and enough water to make it as liquid as you want. This is incredibly refreshing in the morning and really gives you a boost to start the day (instead of the coffee - yep, it's been working!).
OH, one more thing.
The other thing I like about pineapple is it's big thick heavy-duty Rhino skin - a great barrier for stopping pesticides and poisons seeping in: meaning it's OK to get non-organic ones. :-)
Yumbo! Now to find a source of reasonably priced pines and a blender that doesn't give the death rattle when I stick basil in it (there's no way it would deal with pineapple)!!
ReplyDeleteI get the 2 for $4 at yuens! My blender is just a sunbeam one, relatively cheap when on special. It is nearing the end of its life tho :-(
ReplyDeleteI love pineapple too. The only problem is that if I eat too much of it the inside of my mouth starts burning!! Too acidic maybe?
ReplyDeleteYes, I get that too occasionally but I find it's heaps better as a juice that I make myself, especially if I mix in other fruits like the raspberries or even banana ..... might make one now ;-)
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