The fruit we're going to talk about this week is a fruit that you most likely know very well. It is widely available all over the world, although it was apparently native to tropical areas in the Americas and the Caribbean, later moving to Asia and other places. The scientific name for this fruit is "Ananas comosus", and it is commonly known as pineapple. In Kuwait pineapple can be purchased at practically every grocery store and lovely fresh juice concoctions can be found at nearly all the juice shops in the country as well. There is nothing like fresh pineapple juice! The great thing is that pineapple isn’t just another juice. Pineapple actually has some known amazing health benefits. And more and more bonuses are showing up regularly with new scientific research. One of the incredible constituents of pineapple is a natural chemical called bromelain (or more specifically "proteolytic enzyme bromelain"), which has been found to have several health benefits, with more being surmised and which are presently being researched.

Bromelain
So far what is known about bromelain is that it is good for helping people to digest their food. So, along those same lines, bromelain can also be used to tenderize tough meats and poultry (which is surely one of the reasons that you see it in many Chinese dishes). But it according to the preliminary evidence, it seems to be good for all types of inflammatory diseases, such as all types of arthritis and rheumatism. In fact, bromelain has been found to actually act as a pain reducing medication in studies on people suffering with arthritis. Not only did it help reduce the pain and the inflammation, but it also gave them a higher level of movement than they had had previously.

Bromelain is known to help prevent blood clots, which is extremely important for older people who continually run higher and higher risks of getting them, along with the other various problems associated with heart and vascular diseases. This is good news to those who are required to take aspirin every day. (But people with bleeding disorders should be very careful). Bromelain helps in the process of wound healing and has been shown to be important for people recovering from surgery, particularly plastic surgery, where speedy wound healing is imperative. It also seems to be effective against inflammatory skin problems, including allergic reactions such as itching, etc. In that same vein, bromelain helps with the immune response of the body, helping to strengthen the body’s own natural defenses against intruding bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. Recent research shows bromelain to be quite effective against juvenile blood poisoning. And it is showing great promise in the area of autoimmune diseases.


Research
Now here’s the kicker! Recent research has even shown bromelain to be effective against cancer! It has apparently, in studies, been shown to have tumor reducing properties, as well as preventative properties, which could prove to be miraculous if employed effectively. But it is important to note that the bromelain in pineapple can also cause some unwanted side effects, such as increasing the absorption of certain drugs. This is why you must always consult your medical practitioner before starting on a pineapple program if you are taking medications for any preexisting conditions. (The drugs that are often affected are those for blood pressure, chemotherapy, and antibiotics).

Also, bromelain can increase the effects of certain other types of drugs, such as antidepressants, sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, and even alcohol (although alcohol is not allowed in Kuwait, many of our readers are from other places in the world where alcohol is allowed) and thus, great care must be taken when eating pineapple together with those substances. Also, a side word about supplements. I am not generally for people taking supplements of any sort. I always prefer that people should take the whole fruit, vegetable, or herb in order to get the complete benefit of that particular plant. With bromelain I stand on the same platform. So, if you want to get the benefits of bromelain, please just eat pineapple and forget about the tablets. (In some cases, though, under the supervision of a medical professional it may be warranted to take bromelain supplements). But remember! It is very, very unlikely indeed that you will ever be able to eat enough pineapple to make you really sick, so stick with the natural fruit!