Hey guys!! Happy weekend!! We made it! 🙂 I hope you all had a good week and maybe even got to ‘sleep-in’ a bit this morning! Today, for our superfood I want to focus on PINEAPPLE. This tasty tropical treat is, without a doubt, one of my favorite foods! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to mix it into smoothies for a refreshing treat! A few summers ago I worked in this snack shop/ cafe and while I was there I learned how to cut a pineapple like a pro! So now whenever we get a pineapple at home, my parents wait for ME to cut it open. They love to eat it fresh and juicy. I’ve learned that the best way to tell if it’s ripe is to smell the bottom of it. Weird, right? Well actually, if it’s ripe the pineapple will have a very sweet scent to it.
Anyway, more about the amazing benefits of this hydrating superfood. Did you know that 87% of a pineapple is water? Talk about refreshing!! Not only are pineapples packed with antioxidants, they also have tons of other vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, C and fiber! Did you know that pineapple is packed with magnesium? This mineral is necessary to keep your bones strong! Pineapple actually helps to prevent sore throats and sinusitis… but even more exciting than this is the high amount of antioxidants! Pineapple helps prevent Atherosclerosis, heart disease and even cancer! The antioxidants fight against the dangerous free radicals that cause these horrible diseases.
Seriously, pineapple is low calorie, nutrient dense, and did I mention… DELICIOUS!?! Whoever said ‘eating healthy’ meant eating small portions of bland foods clearly has never tried pineapple. Try a pineapple kabob or a pineapple based smoothie. Chop some up to eat alone or in a fruit salad. Their ‘season’ runs March to May but they’re available at supermarkets year-round! A fourth of a pineapple has just over 100 calories, so feel free to enjoy this tasty treat on a regular basis!
How about you? What is your favorite way to enjoy pineapple? Fresh, dried and mixed into a trail mix, blended into a smoothie, frozen like an ice pop, or baked into a pineapple upside-down cake (hey, it has fruit in it, right?)
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