Is pineapple good for your skin? A lot, but only when used this way

Pineapple is a fruit rich in properties and benefits for the skin. Let's find out all the advantages and possible contraindications.

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Pineapple is a fruit rich in properties and benefits for the skin. Let's find out all the advantages and possible contraindications, especially for topical use

It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, fibers and water, and is low in calories, making it an ideal snack. Due to the nutritional content and antioxidant properties, it is often used on the skin to improve its health.

(Read also: How to grow pineapple from fruit scraps: plant the tuft!)

Index

Eat pineapple for skin health

Pineapple contains a powerful enzyme called bromelina, responsible for many of the health benefits; in fact, the efficacy of this enzyme has been demonstrated on various pathologies, such as:

asthma: according to one search the anti-inflammatory effects of bromelain could be helpful for people with asthma or other forms of allergic airway disease.
Osteoarthritis: A study found that bromelain's anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties make it effective for relieving pain, soft tissue swelling and joint stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.
cardiovascular problems: bromelain inhibits the ability of platelets to stick or clump together, and this can help reduce blood clot formation.
colitis: A research carried out in mice showed that this enzyme reduced inflammation and healed mucosal ulcers caused by inflammatory bowel disease in rats.
burns: when used as a topical cream, it has been found to be very effective in safely removing damaged tissue from wounds and second- and third-degree burns.
chronic sinusitis: some researchers have shown that taking bromelain tablets are effective in relieving swelling, congestion and other symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis. Study participants were given bromelain daily for a period of 3 months.
cancer: a search published in 2010 indicated that bromelain shows promising results in the fight against cancer. Bromelain would hinder the growth of cancer cells.

- studies have shown that bromelain has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, for this reason it is also good for the epidermis.

Uno study out of 8 people with pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC), a chronic skin disease that causes small, flaky, raised patches, found that supplementing daily with bromelain for 3 months reversed the condition without causing side effects.

The vitamin C content of pineapple has a beneficial effect on the skin; in fact, it was proved by one search that one cup of pineapple contains 88% of the daily value of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant.

According to one studyFurthermore, vitamin C has several properties that can benefit skin health, such as:

Promote the production of collagen: promotes the production of collagen, a protein matrix that gives your skin its structure while maintaining its plasticity.
It has properties antioxidants: can help prevent damage to skin cells caused by free radicals.
Promotes wound healing: because it supports the production of new cells.

That said, you probably have to eat a large amount of pineapple to get the benefits to notice a difference in the skin; the advice is to try to include pineapple in a healthy and balanced diet.

(Read also: Pineapple diet: how it works, 3-day scheme, what to eat and contraindications)

Is pineapple good for your skin? A lot, but only when used this way

@Natthapon Ngamnithiporn / 123rf

Benefits of topical use of pineapple

Some people use pineapple topically, i.e. by applying the fresh fruit directly to the skin or by doing homemade face masks or serums.

More commonly, however, skin care products are purchased that contain them pineapple extracts the bromelain.

Uno study test tube indicated that a bromelain face wash may inhibit some bacteria that cause theacne. Also, another one study carried out on 11 people who used pineapple extract cream twice a day, found that it significantly reduced skin irritation, the melasma (sunspots) and sebum production.

@Romastudio/123rf

Controindicazioni

Bromelain is a strong enzyme and can cause skin irritations; research has pointed to the possible appearance of allergic reactions, such as a slightly swollen tongue or a redness around the mouth, after eating pineapple. Most studies on the effectiveness of pineapple or bromelain have used concentrated pineapple extracts, not fresh pineapple. These extracts provide much higher doses of bromelain.

Applying fresh pineapple to the skin is unlikely to provide any noteworthy benefits. The reason? The bromelain dose would probably be too low, but enough to cause irritation. Furthermore, fresh pineapple would not be easily absorbed by the skin.

Alternatively, we recommend using skin care products based on pineapple or bromelain extracts.

These products are formulated to be absorbed by the skin for maximum benefit; plus, they contain more effective and higher doses of bromelain, and usually in an irritation-free formula.

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