One of the most prized and popular fruits, pineapple or "ananas" have an interesting history:

The pineapple tree is actually native to Paraguay in South America and spread by the local Indians up through South and Central America to the West Indies. Later, it was brought to Spain when Columbus discovered Americas’ in 1493, from where; it has spread around the world on sailing ships (like tomatoes) that carried it for protection against scurvy!

Scientifically, it is known as "Ananas comosus" and belongs to the family of Bromeliaceae, of the genus; Ananas.
Pineapple is a tropical, perennial, drought-tolerant plant that grows up to 5-8 ft in height and spreads around about 3 to 4 ft. It is essentially a short, stout stem with a rosette of waxy with long, needle tipped leaves. The plant bear long oval to cylindrical fruits during each season lasts from March until June.

The fruit is described as compound (multiple) fruit that develops from many small fruits fused together around central core. It is both juicy and fleshy with the stem serving as the fibrous core. The rough, tough, scaly rind may be dark green, yellow, orange-yellow or reddish when the fruit is ripe. Juicy flesh ranges from creamy white to yellow in colour and has mix of sweet and tart taste with rich flavour. Each fruit measures in size up to 12 in. long and weigh 1 to 8 pounds or more.

Health benefits

Fresh pineapple is storehouse of many health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.

The fruit is low in calories (provides only 50 cal per 100 g), contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; but rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre like pectin.

Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that digests food by breaking down protein. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that consumption of pineapple regularly helps fight against arthritis, indigestion and worm infestation.

Fresh ananas is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin; vitamin C. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

It also contains good amount Vitamin A (provides 58 IU per 100 g) and beta-carotene levels. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes, skin and essential for vision. Studies have suggested that consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

In addition, this fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is helpful cofactor for red blood cell synthesis. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger.

Arthritis Management: One of the most celebrated uses of pineapple in terms of health is its ability to reduce the inflammation of joints and muscles, particularly those associated with arthritis, a truly debilitating disease that affects millions of people around the world. Pineapples contain a relatively rare proteolytic enzyme called bromelain, which is primarily associated with breaking down complex proteins, but it also has serious anti-inflammatory effects, and has been positively correlated with reducing the signs and symptoms of arthritis in many test subjects.

Immune System: A single serving of pineapple has more than 130% of the daily requirement of vitamin-C for human beings, making it one of the richest and most delicious sources of ascorbic acid.  Vitamin C is mainly associated with reducing illness and boosting the immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells and acting as an antioxidant to defend against the harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals are dangerous by-products of cellular metabolism that can damage various organ systems and disrupt function, as well as cause healthy cells to mutate into cancerous ones. The vitamin C content of pineapples defends against this.

Tissue and Cellular Health: One of the commonly overlooked benefits of vitamin C is its essential role in creating collagen. This is partly the reason why it is seen as a healing vitamin, because collagen is the essential protein base of blood vessel walls, skin, organs, and bones. High vitamin C content helps you heal wounds and injuries to the body quickly, along with defending against infections and illness.

Cancer Prevention: In addition to the antioxidant potential of vitamin C in the battle against cancer, pineapples are also rich in various other antioxidants, including vitamin A, beta carotene, bromelain, various flavonoid compounds, and high levels of manganese, which is an important co-factor of superoxide dismutase, an extremely potent free radical scavenger that has been associated with a number of different cancers. Pineapple has directly been related to preventing cancers of the mouth, throat, and breast.

Digestion: Like most fruits, pineapples are a rich source of fibre, but they are special in that they contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. This means that eating a healthy amount of pineapples can protect you from a vast amount of health conditions, including constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, atherosclerosis and blood clotting, as well as blood pressure. Fibre can bulk up stool, which promotes the passage of food through the digestive tract at a normal rate, and also stimulates the release of gastric and digestive juices to help food dissolve. Furthermore, it bulks up loose stool, which helps with diarrhoea and IBS. Fibre also strips the blood vessels clean of excess cholesterol and eliminates it from the body, thereby boosting cardiovascular health.

Coughs and Colds: The normal immune system boosting power of vitamin C is well known, but that special enzyme, bromelain, is also connected with the reduction of phlegm and mucus build up in the respiratory tracts and sinus cavities. It therefore prevents the illnesses that cause phlegm and mucus build-up, while also treating them by loosening those materials and helping you eliminate them from your body if you’ve already contracted an illness or infection.

Bone Health: Although pineapples are not famous for having a strong calcium content, which most people immediately associate with bone health, it does have an impressive amount of manganese, which is another trace mineral that is essential in the strengthening of bones, as well as their growth and repair. Manganese is the most prominent mineral in pineapple, and a single serving can deliver more than 70% of your daily requirement of this essential mineral.

Oral Health: Along with the antioxidant compounds that protect against oral cancer, pineapples also have astringent properties, which strengthen gums and make sure that your teeth do not become loose. Astringent agents help to tighten up tissues and tone the body so things like tooth loss, hair loss, and muscle weakness or skin loosening does not occur. Pineapples are very powerful astringents and are often prescribed as a natural remedy to fix loosening of teeth or the retraction of the gums.

Eye Health: Vision is one of the most important senses for human beings, and pineapples have been directly connected to boosting eye health and preventing the age-related deficiencies that so often occur. Macular degeneration affects many elderly people, and beta carotene can help to delay this vision problem. Keeping proper amounts of beta-carotene in your diet from fruits and vegetables is essential if you want to properly see the world well into your old age.

Blood Pressure: Pineapples are a valuable source of many minerals, and potassium is among them. This is one of the most important minerals in our body, and potassium deficiency can result in a wide array of health hazards. One of the most important functions of potassium is as a vasodilator, meaning that it eases the tension and stress of the blood vessels and promotes blood circulation to various parts of the body. When your blood vessels relax, your blood pressure is reduced and the flow of blood is less restricted. This can prevent clots from blocking the flow of blood and reduces the accumulation of plaque in the arteries and vessels. This helps people prevent conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. So eat your pineapples for a healthy heart!

Blood Circulation: In a related benefit to the vasodilating potential of potassium, pineapples also provide the body with copper, another essential mineral that functions in a number of enzymatic reactions and compounds in the body. Most notably, copper is a necessary element for the formation of healthy red blood cells. High red blood cell count increases oxygenation to the various organ systems and makes them function at optimal levels. It also increases cognitive abilities and can maintain neural pathways to prevent neural disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease!

A Few Words of Warning: The benefits of eating pineapple are clear from the impressive list of qualities that you just read, but there is always something about foods that should be cautioned against, and pineapples are no exception. The bromelain in pineapples is primarily a meat-tenderizing enzyme, which is why it is so helpful in the digestion of tough foods. This can result in the softening or tenderness of your “meat” as well, meaning that your lips, gums, and tongue might experience some tenderness or sensitivity if you eat too much pineapple. Bromelain is a powerful chemical, as is vitamin C, if taken in excess. Both of these are in high proportions in pineapple, and an “overdose” can lead to vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, headaches, and nausea. Also, bromelain has been known to stimulate menstruation, so pregnant women should avoid excessive pineapple, as the high levels of bromelain can actually lead to a miscarriage in rare cases.