Summer fruits: 7 reasons why you should eat pineapple this season

The summer season calls for a switch in lifestyle! From clothing to diet, it is best to get your bodies ready to withstand the summer heat. But when it comes to strengthening our bodies to stay healthy in the hot temperature, diet plays a vital role. What can be better than eating fruits to boost immunity and maintain good health? Pineapple is one such fruit. It has a sweet-tart flavour and is quite nutritious.

Benefits of pineapple

Pineapple is rich in several essential nutrients, antioxidants, and other health-promoting substances like enzymes that can reduce inflammation and sickness. It is abundant in potassium, calcium, manganese, folate, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin K. It is thought to be beneficial for your skin because it includes a considerable amount of vitamin C. Due to these qualities, pineapple has been linked to a variety of health advantages, including improved digestion, immunity, healing after surgery, and many more.

HealthShots spoke to nutritionist Vidhi Chawla, founder of Fisico Diet Clinic, to know all the benefits of pineapple. Here are 7 major health benefits of eating pineapple.

1. Weight loss

If you’re on a weight loss diet, pineapple is a great summer fruit. It is the ideal fruit for weight loss because it is high in fiber and low in calories and carbohydrates. It helps you stay hydrated, control your appetite, and avoid binge eating. Also, it contains bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, which promotes better protein digestion and utilization thus helping you gain less body mass and belly fat.

2. Reduces cancer risk

Since pineapple is a rich amount of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, and a high quantity of fiber, it can help stop the production of free radicals. They are linked to the emergence of cancer.

3. Boosts immunity

Manganese and vitamin C are both abundant in pineapples. While manganese is an antioxidant that supports metabolic function and growth, vitamin C is required for immune system health, nutritional absorption, and development and growth. Your immune system is strengthened by these vital vitamins and minerals as well as their anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Helps in digestion

Pineapples include an enzyme called bromelain that aids in digestion and helps break down protein. Due to their high fiber and water content, pineapples help to maintain regularity and a healthy digestive system and prevent constipation.

benefits of pineapple

Avoid indigestion with pineapple! Image courtesy: Shutterstock

5. Heart health

Pineapple’s high fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content are beneficial for heart health. These nutrients can help in maintaining the cholesterol level and blood pressure, which are the major reasons behind heart problems. It is also associated with a decreased risk of stroke and kidney stone formation.

6. Glowing skin

Due to the range of nutrients it contains, pineapple offers several skin benefits. You can use it to treat acne, sun damage, and skin rashes. Also, it will keep your skin clear and hydrated.

7. Aid in diabetes

High-fiber diets are associated with reduced blood glucose levels, as well as better blood sugar, cholesterol, and insulin levels.

Pineapple can be enjoyed by adding it to a fruit salad, making a juice or smoothie, pineapple panna, raita, or even rasam. Enjoy it!Benefits of cauliflower: Make this gluten-free veggie a part of your nutritious diet

Cauliflower boots an array of health benefits, so don't ignore this nutritious delight. Low-carb and gluten-free, here are the benefits of cauliflower.Ever since the world started making healthier choices, people switched to nutritious food alternatives. So, if you are on a quest to find healthier food options, wish to try something new, or maybe even have a fresh take on familiar food, your hunt ends here! Let us introduce Cauliflower, a veggie that is a staple in every Indian kitchen but offers many health benefits, and can be rightly called the nutrition superstar. Since it’s gluten-free vegetables, it can be great for people diagnosed with celiac disease. You must be on the lookout for gluten-free alternatives. Or, you might be thinking to add low carb options to your perfect diet plan.

If you are any of the above, cauliflower is just what you are looking for. This veggie is extremely versatile as it can be eaten raw, roasted, cooked, grilled, or even baked to put on a pizza crust. Wait, there’s more! It also serves its purpose well by working as the best substitute for mashed potatoes. You can even make cauliflower rice and swap it for white rice.

To understand the importance of cauliflower even better, Healthshots got in touch with Avni Kaul, a nutritionist, to understand what makes Cauliflower a nutrition superstar.

Benefits of cauliflower you must know

Cauliflower, being a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, is known to contain a unique group of sulfur-containing phytonutrients called Glucosinolates. These nutrients encourage liver detoxification and produce antioxidants in the body.

1. Cauliflower has a high nutrient content

The expert says, “Cauliflower is regarded as a nutrition superstar because it is dense in nutrients. It has a high fiber content and vitamins like B and C. It also has a rich concentration of carotenoids (antioxidants) and glucosinolates. Even though both these compounds have been known to show anti-cancer properties, the glucosinolates have piqued the most interest in general.”

2. Cauliflower as a dietary superfood

Cauliflower is again well-known as a dietary superfood that is high in vitamins, as aforementioned, minerals, and other nutritious molecules despite its pale-colored appearance. Nowadays, cauliflower is the perfect alternative to several carbohydrate-rich foods like rice and pizza crusts.

3. It is naturally gluten-free

“Cauliflower is naturally gluten-free, however, pizza crusts made using cauliflower are not gluten-free. Other factors that make cauliflower a nutrition superstar are that it is rich in fiber, a good source of choline, and a good source of sulforaphane, which is known to aid in weight loss. Eating Cauliflower leaves you with a fuller feeling for a long time, and thus it can be a great addition to your weight loss diet plan. Alongside, it is also an alternative to low-carb grains and legumes.

4. Fertility and other nutrition facts

Now you know why cauliflower is one of the stars when it comes to nutrition. Apart from the facts mentioned above, it is rich in vitamins like C and K, and it is also an ideal source of folic acid, which supports the growth of cells in the body and is a must during pregnancy. Also, it is free from fat and cholesterol. It also has low sodium content. A cup of cauliflower contains only 25 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates, and just 2 grams of dietary fiber.