Got Bruises? — Eat Pineapple

When I started racing, most of my time was spent as rail meat — moveable human ballast that let me hang off of the side of the boat in order to help keep it upright.  My enthusiasm for being out on the water lead to bruises from crossing the cabin top to stay on the high side of the boat.  Of course, bruises aren’t flattering at all…and they can even lead to unusual comments from friends and co-workers.

 

 

Pretty early on, a friend mentioned that his daughter ate pineapple to prevent bruising.  I really like pineapple, and thought why not – it can’t hurt to enjoy a tropical snack.  After putting this theory to the test, I agreed that pineapple helped with the bruises.  I told a couple of friends who tried it out and also agree.  From my experience, I think that pineapple helps to prevent bruises, as well as make existing bruises heal more quickly.  Yet, I wasn’t able to find any information to support my belief that it prevents bruises.  Either way, I’ll happily take the benefits that pineapple has to offer.

 

So, I thought I’d see if I could put some facts behind the conversation.  A quick Google search resulted in a lot of articles about pineapple helping to heal bruises from cosmetic procedures such as injections of Restalyne or Juvederm.   The last time I checked, racing boats is about as far away as you can get from cosmetic procedures.  However, the consensus for both is the same.  Pineapple helps heal bruising.  Here is what I learned:

 

  • Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain.  This is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory.  This can help reduce swelling and reduce recovery time from bruising.
  • Pineapple is also high in vitamin C which helps boost your immune system.
  • Pineapple juice contains a lot of free radicals which are beneficial for the body.  The bromelain also works to balance and neutralize fluids in the body.  This can help with digestion – especially in digesting protein.
  • It is important to eat pineapple and drink the juice as fresh as possible.  The canning process can destroy the enzymes.
  • A cup of pineapple has about 75 calories.

 

Has anyone else had similar results with pineapple being beneficial for bruising?  Do you have any other tips and tricks to share?

 

References: www.LIVESTRONG.com, www.bodybuilding.com, www.drozfans.com.


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