With its sharp blades and thick skin, the pineapple is as intimidating as a porcupine, but equally compelling due to its juicy, sweet golden meat. What many people don’t realize about this tasty fruit, however, is that it is infinitely more useful to humans than just a garnish for tropical drinks. It is literally medicine. Pineapple is native to South America and a treasured part of Hawaiian folk medicine. Pineapple juice is widely used as a natural remedy to treat everything from indigestion to allergies, brimming with vitamin C, B1, potassium, and manganese.
In addition to these phytonutrients, it seems that the secret to its almost supernatural healing power comes from a digestive enzyme called bromelain. In fact, pineapple is one of the richest sources of bromelain in the world. Bromelain in pineapple has been shown to increase metabolism and burn fat.
