5 Amazing Benefits of Pineapple - and Why We Use It
Ahh... Pineapple. That sweet smelling, bright yellow, mouthwatering juicy fruit! There are so many benefits of how powerful and healthy it is. Not only for your inside health but also the outside.
Where’d It Come From?
Pineapple is derived from the Spanish word pina - meaning pine cone that was used in 1398. 300 years later, it was called pineapple in order to identify the fruit individually.
It was discovered on the island of Guadalupe in 1493 by Europeans. The pineapple brought to Hawaii is a bit of a mystery as to when it started being grown there, but it made its claim to fame when James D. Dole arrived on the scene in 1880. Dole was the entrepreneur who first began to can and sell the sweet, tangy fruit.
How Do They Grow?
Pineapple plants have stocky, sharp leaves that hug a central stem. In a healthy plant, those leaves can grow out to about 5 feet long!
The pineapple fruit itself actually grows out of the top of the center of the plant (how many of you thought they grew in the ground or on a tree? I know I did!) The fruit itself is actually dozens of individual flowers that fuse into a single fruit, which is then capped with that unforgettable crown made of small short leaves.
Most fruits are grown from seeds, but the mighty pineapple? Not so. Pineapples grown commercially are “self-incompatible” meaning that the pollen from one plant can’t fertilize another plant of the same variety. Unless different varieties are grown together, and flower at the same time, the plant produces a seedless fruit that develops without fertilization.
When removed, pineapples actually ripen upside down, and the tiny plantlets that grow out of the base of the fruit, called “slips”, can actually produce new plants when replanted.
Why It’s Awesome for Our Bodies
Pineapples are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and enzymes. It contains an impressive amount of Vitamin C, which can help improve the absorption of iron from the diet. Vitamin C assists in converting iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, into a form that is easier to absorb. Pineapples also contain 76% of your daily recommended value of manganese - which is a naturally occurring mineral that aids growth, maintains a healthy metabolism and has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are molecules that help your body combat oxidative stress, and can help reduce your susceptibility to chronic diseases.
Pineapples are part of the bromeliad family, and contain bromelain, which is a protein-digesting enzyme mixture derived from the stem, fruit, and juice of the pineapple plant. It has a centuries-long history of being used to treat medical ailments, primarily throughout Central and South America.
Why Does Surf Soap Use it?
We utilize the vitamin C in our pineapple extract to protect hair against damage from free radicals. Vitamins B1 and B6 also aid in the prevention of hair loss by regulating sebum production and soothing irritated scalps. Our extracts also serve as a cleanser - lifting and again, regulating oil production in the hair in order to help get a gentle cleanse without harming aquatic life.
The enzymes present in pineapples enrich hair follicles by delivering vital nutrients to them. This in turn improves the thickness and elasticity of hair.
The bromelain enzyme in our pineapple is utilized for its powerful anti-inflammatory benefits that significantly reduce the time to heal wounds. Why is this important? We use it in our All-In-One so that when used as a body wash, any rashes or sunburns you may have on your skin get just that little extra boost to heal faster - which means you can get back in the water with no worries.
