A tropical treasure, pineapple is a sweet, juicy fruit that’s great on its own or adds fantastic flavor to desserts, salads and many main dishes. Rich in vitamins A and C and the mineral manganese, pineapple also contains a beneficial substance called bromelain.
Bromelain is a digestive enzyme. Digestive enzymes are complex proteins that stimulate chemical changes in food, making meals easier to digest and assisting with nutrient absorption. They’re naturally produced by the body but can also be obtained from food sources, both plant and animal.
Bromelain is a protease, or proteolytic, enzyme, which means it helps specifically with protein digestion. Because protein is difficult for the body to digest, consuming protease enzymes with protein-rich meals may support proper digestive function and intestinal comfort.
Although it’s present in all parts of the pineapple plant, bromelain is most concentrated in the stem, so eating just the fruit won’t provide many digestive health benefits. Instead, try taking a bromelain supplement. Vitacost.com carries several options (just type “bromelain” in the Search Box on our home page).
You might also consider a multi-enzyme formula which contains lipase enzymes (to break down fats) and amylase enzymes (to break down starches). To view our full selection, enter “digestive enzymes” in the Search Box on our home page.