Bromelain (and why you should be consuming it!)

PINEAPPLES. They're sweet, tangy, juicy, interestingly spikey on the outside, beautifully pulpy and yellow on the inside...and totally making my mouth water as I type those words and think about it. I mean, WHO DOESN'T LOVE IT?! (okay, I'm sure some of you out there don't...but like, explain yourself). Not only is it delectable to the taste buds, but your body loves it too! Now THAT SAID, your taste buds actually probably DON'T TOTALLY love it. Why? Well, because pineapple contains a unique, pepsin-like, proteolytic enzyme called Bromelain, which breaks down proteins--including the ones in your mouth. BUT! Do not fear: once you swallow this substance, the digestion process (saliva & stomach acid) breaks it down (and it no longer tries to attack your flesh). But it's not all flesh-eating horror. Bromelain, as it turns out, is ALSO great for THE GUT! Bromelain is found most concentrated in the core and stem of pineapple, although there is still plenty found in the meat and some in the juice. It is best when consumed straight from the fruit, although supplements are available.

With it's anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling properties, and high content of vitamin C and phytonutrients, some benefits include

• helps heal connective tissue and wounds, and boosts recovery time

• helps alleviate allergies, sinus infections, and asthma

• helps treat autoimmune and digestive disorders (including heartburn and diarrhea)

• helps prevent cancer

Here is an article by Dr. Axe (seriously LOVE that guy) detailing more on the benefits of bromelain.

Some ways that you can obtain bromelain are:

-juicing the core/stem

-consuming pineapple pulp

-consuming pineapple juice

-bromelain capsules

Additionally, bromelain is often paired with papain--proteolytic enzyme found in papaya. Papain is known as the "vegetable pepsin" and also helps break down proteins and fats, as well as most other foods. It varies from bromelain in that bromelain is quite effective on its own, whereas papain works best when paired with other enzymes or vitamins (like bromelain). Often I throw a few frozen chunks of papaya in a smoothie, although I don't care for the flavor by itself.

Now, maybe your'e wondering -- what on earth made me think to create a blog about PINEAPPLES and bromelain?! Well, my son contracted a cough a couple of weeks ago. He's too young to take any kind of cough medicine with DM (dextromethorphane -- NOT that I would want to give that to any human, but in extreme cases, as an adult, I may take some), and usually I can cure a cough with manuka honey. Well this time, that wasn't cutting it. This cough was DRY and hoarse, and became worse during the night/when he was sleeping. So I did what moms do best, and took to my computer for research. ANNND it turns out that pineapples not only contain vitamin C and phytonutrients, but the bromelain is actually anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling, and helps to break down mucous; which helps reduce or eliminate cough/cold symptoms. So when he coughed, I fed him pineapple...and IT WORKED! THEN about 5 days ago, I contracted a cold. While I haven't been able to get rid of this pesky thing yet , I WILL say that as soon as I get a stuffy nose, I eat some pineapple, and the foggy head and stuffy nose disappear for a handful of hours! Yesterday I ran out of pineapple and felt HORRIBLE. Today I went to the store and bought another, had some, and feel SO much better within minutes.

I cannot personally testify to the long-term benefits of consuming bromelain, but I can tell you that for my son's cough and this little cold I have, it has made our lives so much easier. There is some bromelain in the enzyme I take, but for now I am going to continue eating fresh pineapple until this cold is gone, and--since learning about all of these amazing benefits--will start incorporating a bromelain supplement (to avoid the sugar of pineapple) in my regular routine. I will report back in a few weeks and let you all know if I notice any changes.

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QUICK NOTE: Now as far as pineapple and IBS/IBD... I'm going to go over a couple down-sides, because I feel obligated to share my experience.

1. Pineapple is high in sugar (one whole pineapple has 89 [!!!!!!!] grams of sugar), so if you are avoiding sugar (for candida, etc), maybe opt for a bromelain supplement.

2. In the past / when in a flare, if I ate pineapple, it would send me STRAIGHT to the bathroom for anywhere from one to several hours. It ALWAYS irritated my bowels. THAT SAID, I would eat pretty heavy portion sizes (at least one whole cup--usually more at a time). I really don't know if it was the acidity or the sugar...but anyway, large amounts did this to me.

3. If you have IBS/IBD, I personally suggest consuming a small portion at a time. Maybe start with a few chunks, and increase slowly. Right now I am fine with about 1/2 cup at a time; no more than 1 whole cup per day. I am proud to say I have not had the bathroom problem this time around!