Hello Pineapple!

Pineapples are in season at the moment, and besides being cute and funky and DELICIOUS to eat, they are actually full of all kinds of goodness. Here are a few reasons to make sure they end up in your smoothies this month.

They are a good source of many of the usual nutrients, such as vitamin C, manganese, copper and folate. But where it gets really interesting is that they are also the only edible source of the plant compound bromelain. How cool is that? Bromelain is associated with lots of different health benefits, including enhanced immune function, cancer prevention, improved wound healing and better gut health. Our prickly friends have even been shown to decrease inflammation and stimulate immune responses. And they may reduce the duration of infections and help with airway diseases, such as asthma.

There’s more! Pineapples are also a rich source of copper, needed for the formation of red blood cells. Red blood cells are needed for oxygen distribution throughout the body, and provide cognitive health benefits as well.

So there you go, RUN and get your hands on some sunshiney pineapple sweetness asap.

Sources: Authority Nutrition Natural Health & MindBodyGreen