By Dr. Lloyd Berg, PhD.
As a mission of our on-going blog series, our goal is to educate consumers about the health benefits of fresh pineapples. The third installment in this series, today we focus on the importance of antioxidants and pineapples as an excellent antioxidant source!
Fresh pineapples contain vitamins A and C, flavonoids and manganese – all important antioxidants. But what exactly are antioxidants and why should thinking about them be a part of our produce purchasing process?
Without proposing a college-level lecture, the most basic explanation we can give goes a little something like this: Our body is made up of billions of cells and each cell can be trillions of molecules. Our cells are what make up the organs and systems our body requires to operate in a healthy way. So the best way to keep our organs functioning and healthy is to take care of them at a cellular level.
Think of antioxidants this way: a cell’s molecules can be harmed at any time for a variety of reasons. The harm comes in a form called “free radical.” Antioxidants protect the body from damage created by these free radicals. In fact, cells can be so badly damaged that they could eventually die off – of course, never to be replaced. This kind of stress to your body’s cells seems to play a significant role in many diseases, including cancers. In essence, if we add antioxidants to our diets we have a natural defense system against some of the most serious health risks.
Pineapples are a price source for antioxidants. They are nearly at the top of the list of manganese and Vitamin C sources – all needed to serve many important functions in the body. In addition to serving as antioxidants, these vitamins and minerals similarly build and repair bodily tissue, help with bones development and promote wound healing.
So if you want a natural way to enhance your body’s healing mechanisms, promote overall good health and tantalize your taste buds, fresh pineapples are the way to go. Just dice them up and help defend your health one bite at a time!
This blog entry is part of a multi-post series on the potential benefits of pineapples. For more information about pineapple consumption, please contact us at info@chfusa.com.