Why you need extra pineapples this festive season

Festive season might as well be a synonym for eat until you cannot button you pants because that is how we do it and am not judging because I do it too. Most of the meals are planned around a meaty dish and if you are Kenyan this is the time for nyama choma, mutura and all the chicken that you can eat. We tend to eat a lot at this time of the year mostly because we eat in groups and social settings. It’s all fun and games until you can’t breathe or move but what if you can do all that and not feel like you swallowed a stone that cannot be digested?

Happy Holidays

The answer is in an enzyme found in pineapples known as bromelain. Protein takes a while to digest and from all the meat that comes with the festive season it might feel like your stomach went on holiday before it digested your last meal. Our digestive systems are designed to produce digestive enzymes but with all the meat we eat during the festive season our enzymes are not enough. The bromelain in pineapples helps break down the protein in the meat meaning that your digestive system does not feel sluggish or like it stopped all together. Bromelain also helps with indigestion which is also a common problem with all the eating.

Incorporating pineapples into your Christmas menu is a good way of getting all the bromelain into your body. If you soaked meat in pineapple juice for about two days it would be too mushy to eat but when used a few hours before cooking it softens it without destroying the shape of the meat. The enzymes are killed when you cook the meat so using pineapples to marinate your meat will make it soft but for smooth digestion; you need to eat pineapples soon after your nyama choma.

Most of the bromelain in a pineapple is found in the stem of the pineapple which is the part we mostly throw away. If you think that the stem is too tough to chew, you can blend it with the rest of the pineapple to make juice.

Pineapples are also very good sources of fiber which is good for your digestive system and sluggish digestion.

 Other uses of bromelain include:

Reduction of inflammation

Bromelain significantly reduces inflammation (when an area of your body gets sore, red, swollen and painful due to an injury or infection) and speeds up healing time for wounds and cuts.  You don’t have to apply pineapples on your cuts because eating the pineapples works just fine.

When applied topically on insect bites and stings, it reduces inflammation and discomfort from the skin bites and stings.

Colds

Bromelain is a common supplement for sinus discomfort. This can be brought about by common cold and allergies. The vitamins in the pineapples are also very good at treating colds and boosting your immune system.

Osteoarthritis

Bromelain is also a common ingredient in natural supplements for sore joints and muscles.

In addition to all that, pineapples are good for the skin, prevents hair loss and helps you age gracefully.