Pineapple is a popular fruit. Enjoyed both for the fruit itself and for its juice, you can find pineapple in many food and beverage items. What many might not realize is there is more to pineapple than flavor. Studies have connected pineapple to many health benefits, including improving your immune system, supporting eye and heart health, helping with digestion, and even protecting against some cancers. Pineapple is also rich in several vitamins and minerals that play integral roles in various body functions, including wound healing, bone health, and tissue production.
What Are the Skin Benefits of Pineapple?
Pineapple, while delicious, is also a very versatile fruit. As mentioned above, eating or drinking pineapple has many benefits, including those that contribute to skin health. But how? Pineapple is rich in vitamin C, beta carotene, and bromelain.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C offers several skin benefits. Whether applied topically or consumed as part of a healthy diet, studies show the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C can help reduce inflammation, increase hydration, improve skin texture and tone, and reduce common visible signs of aging such as wrinkles, sagging skin, and fine lines.
Vitamin C is also a crucial factor in your body’s collagen production. With age, our bodies begin producing less collagen, which can lead to the sagging skin, lines, and wrinkles mentioned above. Also, vitamin C promotes collagen production and helps with wound healing and new cell generation.
Beta carotene
Beta carotene is another antioxidant found in pineapple. Studies show beta carotene can improve dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring a soft, supple appearance.
Bromelain
Studies have shown that the enzyme bromelain has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Bromelain is an effective, natural way to reduce bruising, redness, and pain that can accompany some skin care procedures at Upkeep Med Spa.
How to Use Pineapple to Prevent Bruising After Fillers
Fillers and Botox injections offer many skin rejuvenating benefits. Although injections are minimally invasive procedures, bruising is not uncommon. Fortunately, pineapple may help decrease the likelihood of bruising after fillers.
As mentioned above, pineapple contains bromelain, which can help reduce inflammation and bruising. If you cannot eat pineapple, you can find bromelain supplements at many health food stores near you. In addition to bromelain, pineapple contains vitamin C, which also has anti-inflammatory properties.
To take advantage of the benefits of pineapple, many providers like Upkeep Med Spa recommend drinking or eating pineapple once per day for the three days leading up to your appointment (including the day of your appointment). Some people may also see benefit from continuing to include pineapple in their diet for the week following their appointment. Below we have included a few recipes to help you experiment with the benefits of pineapple before your injection appointment.
Pineapple Tea
· Peel and core of one pineapple
· 1 tbsp maple syrup
· ¼ tsp turmeric
· 1 knob ginger
· 1 stick cinnamon
· 3 ½ cups of water
1) Wash pineapple skin well or soak it in vinegar for 30 minutes before boiling.
2) Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring them to a boil for 30-60 minutes.
3) Drain, reserving liquid for tea.
4) Can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Frozen Pineapple Smoothie
· 2 cups frozen pineapple
· 1 ½-2 cups milk of choice
· 1 tbsp maple syrup (substitute 2 dates or 1 tbsp honey)
· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
· Ice
1) Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2) Start with 1 ½ cups of milk and add more to reach desired thickness.
3) For a sweeter drink, add more dates or another sweetener.
Chilled Pineapple Soup
· 3 cups pineapple
· 1 tbsp lime juice
· 3 tbsp guava juice
· 1 tbsp lemon juice
· 3 dates (pitted)
· ½ cup coconut cream
· ¼ cup banana
· Garnish with basil and cotija cheese if desired
1) Add all ingredients into the blender and process well.
2) Chill for one hour before serving.
In addition to the recipes above, drinking 1 cup of pineapple juice or enjoying a cup of pineapple chunks will provide the skincare benefits of pineapple.
Upkeep Med Spa offers a variety of skincare treatment options, including fillers, Botox, and laser and body contouring procedures. To learn more about our menu of services or to schedule a consultation appointment to learn more about how our experienced, professional team can help you achieve your skincare goals, contact us today.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33233252/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/btri/2012/976203/#B64
https://plantyou.com/pineapple-skin-tea/
https://wholefoodsoulfoodkitchen.com/frozen-pineapple-smoothie-without-banana/#recipe
https://www.fearlessdining.com/cold-pineapple-soup-gazpacho/#recipe