Fresh pineapple juice is extremely nutritious, as it contains many essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, Thiamine, vitamin B6, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, and even a little Calcium and protein. Processed pineapple juice can be nutritious as well, however during the processing procedure it's usually mixed with large volumes of sugar, as well as many other unhealthy synthetic preservatives. To maximize the health benefits of consuming this juice, we highly recommend that you drink pineapple juice made fresh from the juicer. If you don't have a juicer, you are really missing out on a fun and delicious way to improve your overall diet. In the paragraphs below we'll outline why drinking pineapple juice is healthy, and exactly what it contains that your body needs.
Eight ounces of pineapple juice contains as much as 75% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C. As most of you are already aware, vitamin C is vital to increasing the body's natural resistance to disease, especially during periods of excessive physically activity. Vitamin C is also crucial in promoting cell growth and development, as well as tissue repair. Without vitamin C, our bodies could not produce collagen, an essential protein responsible for the creation of our skin, scar tissue, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. There are many common and readily available fruits and vegetables that contain this important vitamin, in addition to pineapples. To really up your daily dosage, juice your pineapple with oranges, strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, papaya, blueberries, lemons, or cranberries.
Eight ounces of pineapple juice also contains roughly 20% of the daily recommended allowance of Potassium. Potassium is an important mineral that helps maintain proper kidney functions. It is also a natural electrolyte, which are essential components within your body that conduct electricity. Other benefits of healthy levels of Potassium include overall heart health, steady muscle contraction, and proper digestive functions. Recent studies have also concluded that high blood pressure could be related to not maintaining high enough levels of Potassium in the diet. In addition to pineapples, there are many other fruits and vegetables that contain large amounts of Potassium. For a healthy dose of this essential mineral, try juicing your pineapple with bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit, cherries, or apricots.
In addition to vitamin C and Potassium, an eight ounce glass of pineapple juice also contains roughly 20% of the daily recommended allowance of Thiamine. Thiamine is a water soluble vitamin within the B group of vitamins. One of the primary functions of this vitamin is to convert carbohydrates into raw energy. It's also extremely important in maintaining a healthy nervous system, and heart. There are not many fruits and vegetables that contain large volumes of Thiamine, as it's particularly found in whole grains and eggs. To maximize your intake of it, you can juice your pineapple with asparagus, cauliflower, oranges, or strawberries. Another intake alternative would be to skip the juicer altogether, and use a blender to make an oatmeal, flax seed, orange, and pineapple smoothie.
Lastly we're going to discuss vitamin B6. One eight ounce glass of pineapple juice contains roughly 12% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is another water soluble vitamin, which is essential in maintaining a large spectrum of healthy bodily functions. These functions include red blood cell metabolism, nervous and immune system wellness, as well as blood sugar regulation. Like Potassium, large quantities of vitamin B6 are not found in most fruits and vegetables, as it's primarily based in cereals, grains, beans, roast beef, fish, and avocado. It will be hard to attain a large dosage without consuming a large volume of juice. I have however made a pineapple, avocado, and rolled oats smoothie, using orange juice as the base. It tasted great, and I recommend giving it a try.
