What is the relationship between pineapple and pregnancy? Is it dangerous for pregnant and lactating mothers?

The tropical fruit pineapple with its beautiful yellow colour belongs to the family of Bromeliaceae. One oft he most important enzymes of pineapple is bromelain which is responsible for its health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and important minerals.

The health benefits of bromelain include:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Reduces swelling
• Helps in the treatment of sore throat and sinus
• Helps in the treatment of gout and acute arthritis

Fresh pineapple must be eaten to get these benefits. To get the best benefit it should be eaten between meals and other food should not be eaten with this.

Is eating fresh pineapple or drinking fresh pineapple juice during pregnancy safe? Could it and its juice in the later stage of pregnancy induce labour? In high quantities pineapple juice can cause uterine contraction. That is why eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice is recommended to women who experience delayed pregnancies. Therefore, excess pineapple or juice must be avoided during the early stages of pregnancy.

The enzyme bromelain is responsible for this. Miscarriage, vomiting, diarrhoea, very heavy menstrual periods are the other effects of excess consumption of fresh pineapple.

There are no scientific evidences for this effect, but excess pineapple is as effective as castor oil as a laxative. Excess means 6 to 7 fresh pineapples. Pregnant and lactating mothers must consult with their doctor if they want to eat pineapples. More research is needed in this field.

During canning bromelain is destroyed and this could be eaten by all, in moderate amounts.

Enzymes

Enzymes are the most important substances which are present in human beings as well as in animals and plants. These are complex protein molecules in all living cells and catalyse and regulate almost all biochemical reactions that occur within the human body.

Our digestion, our energy, the functions of our body, our immune system and much more depends upon the presence of enzymes and their capacity to function.

Enzymes are catalysts. The reactions which need high temperatures such as 50 or 100 or 150 degrees C can be performed in our body at 37 degree C with the help of the enzymes as catalysts. This is the wonder of our creation.

There are two groups - digestive and metabolic - enzymes. They are stored in organs, such as, liver and be used wherever they are needed.

Some important biochemical reactions that occur inside our 100 trillion cells are the energy production, detoxification and oxygen free radical scavenging. It is aptly said that our cells can survive only with the help of the metabolic enzymes.

The important duties of the digestive enzymes are the digestion and absorption of all nutrients from our food. The major work is to digest carbohydrates, protein and fat. The digestive enzymes include pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease, ptyalin and amylase. Our body cannot produce cellulase, an enzyme necessary for the digestion of certain fibre and here the raw foods are the best source.

Our body accepts the enzymes from our raw food thankfully which are saved till the body needs. Therefore, the foods containing enzymes are very healthier to us.

Fresh raw vegetables and fruits are very good source of enzymes. Cooking makes different degrees of degradation. The production of these enzymes is a very complicated process in our organs utilising different, important nutrients including many metals like zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese and others.

Enzymes are also organizing the necessary functions or synthesize new bio-chemicals in the body which are necessary to build and repair the bones, cells, other organs and the tissues.

Enzymes are responsible for synthesizing, delivering, distributing, constructing, repairing and also eliminating wastes from our 100 trillion cells by giving the substances and chemicals to our body to live. Without enzymes there is no life.

Enzymes play a vital role in many diseases, such as, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver diseases, respiratory infections, cold, flu, heartburn, indigestion, weakened immune system, depression, burn out syndrome, migraines, pre-menstruation-syndrome, candida, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hyperactivity, anxiety, lack of concentration, constipation, fatigue, allergies, obesity and many others.

There are substances or metals which can inhibit the action of the enzymes and they are as follows:

• Almost all chemicals in excessive amount are poisonous to enzymes
• Heavy metals such as mercury present in amalgam, aluminium in antacid, deodorants, tea and cucumber, cadmium from seafood and tobacco smoke and lead can take the place of essential elements in the enzymes thus preventing the action of the enzymes.
• Over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs such as novalgin, aspirin, cannabis, cocaine and other designer drugs can be inhibitors.
• Pesticides and all the other chemicals used in the agriculture
• Solvents from household, industries and car exhausts, such as benzene, chlorinated solvents, ethylene glycol
• Alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol etc.
• Caffeine from coffee, tea and chocolates
• Tobacco smoking and passive smoking
• Oxygen free radical and other free radicals

All the chemicals used in the food processing are not good for the enzymes, I have examined the blood sample of people who ate only processed food for months together without taking fresh raw vegetables and their enzyme status is mostly bad compared to an average person. Women are worse than men.

Grilled meat is worse than cigarettes. But smoking is worse than one time of eating grilled meat, since cigarettes are being smoked everyday.

Stress in the family or in the office or extreme worries and financial problems can affect the amount of enzymes produced and it is same with diseases also.

Aging causes the body to produce fewer enzymes and the whole metabolism and digestion can become slow.

Why is raw food in our diet important?

Depending upon your cooking process, an average of 50% of the enzymes gets destroyed. Fresh, raw foods contain the highest amount of enzymes which catalyse thousands of chemical reactions in our body. Dried and denatured foods have no enzymes which in course of time do not promote health and longevity.

Of all known fruits, pineapple contains a large amount of digestive or metabolic or both enzymes. Eat pineapple regularly if you have no allergy.

Pineapple

Next to bananas, pineapple is the second most popular tropical fruit. It has vitamins, minerals and fibre which are good for the digestive system. It has also several enzymes which are good for the biochemical reactions.
The nutrients in 100 g edible pineapple include:

• Water – 84.9 g
• Protein – 0.5 g
• Fat – 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates – 12.4 g
• Organic acids 0.7 g – Malic acid 95 mg, Citric acid 630 mg, salicylic acid 2.1 mg
• Fibre – 1.0 g
• Minerals - 0.4 g – sodium 2 mg, potassium 175 mg, magnesium 17 mg, calcium 16 mg, iron 400 micro g, copper 60 micro g, zinc 125 micro g, selenium 2 micro g
• Vitamins - vitamins A, B1, B6, nicotine amide, pantothenic acid, Biotin, folic acid, vitamin C – 19 mg, vitamins E, and K
• Purine – 19 mg

It is a good fruit for weight reduction. Persons with diabetes should not eat too much because of the carbohydrate levels.

Remember plant food has no cholesterol.