Nature has an unbelievable way of protecting itself. The most beautiful roses have the sharpest thorns and the best fruits are the most well-protected. When you look at some of the juiciest fruits in the world, they have tough exteriors to try and stop animals and humans from eating them. Some fruits, like pineapples, even have prickles on the outside to fight against predators. While we remove the peels of these fruits to make it possible to eat the juicy treats inside, we may be missing a trick. In many cases, these peels are the healthiest part. Let’s take a closer look at the pineapple.
From the outside the pineapple is a beautiful looking fruit yet very uninviting. The coarse exterior and protruding prickles clearly say “this will not be an easy fruit to devour”. They are right, the pineapple is one of the trickiest fruits to consume and if you are trying to eat one without a knife you will take a while. With a knife though it can be easy, simply chop off each side and remove the center core. In the past, I always threw those pineapple peels away, but never again.
Pineapple skin has bromelain, a fantastic enzyme that has anti-inflammatory benefits. If you do a lot of exercise or are recovering from an injury, pineapple skin is your friend. If you have any problems in the bathroom pineapple peel is there to help too. The peel alone is proven to help ease constipation. The enzyme also has the power to produce more red blood cells and can help to prevent blood clots.
Pineapples are very rich in Vitamin C but so are the peels. If you are fighting a cold or trying to build a stronger immune system then you should eat lots of pineapples (and the skin too). The peel is full of manganese too which is great for teeth and bone strength.
Bromelain is also useful for women who are trying to get pregnant. The anti-inflammatory properties are conducive to creating an environment in the womb more suitable for conceiving a baby.
By now we are sure that you are convinced eating pineapple peels is a good idea but you are likely wondering how. We do not condone simply chewing on some pineapple peel. It will be tough on your stomach and not great for your gums either. Instead, we want to take the best nutrients from the pineapple without the tough task.
My favorite way to consume pineapple peel is to use it for tea. Place the peels in a pot and add some ginger, cloves, and cinnamon based on your taste preferences. I prefer pineapple, ginger, and honey. Add water to the pot let it brew on the lowest heat for around 12 minutes. Turn the pot off and let it sit for another 12 minutes. Serve hot and cold and at this stage add the honey if you want that extra sweetness.
If that is too long to wait for your delicious pineapple infusion you can make juice instead. Bring the pineapple skins to boil and then allow them to cool. Pop them in the blender and pour through a sieve. After a total prep time of 15 minutes, your juice is ready to serve.
Ensure that you wash your pineapple thoroughly before serving because as the old saying goes “who knows where that pineapple has been?”. Ok, that is not actually a saying, but it should be. We hope that you enjoy introducing pineapple skins to your new diet and that you start to see benefits straight away.
