How you digest your food is as important if not
more important than what you eat. It takes enzymes to digest and extract
important nutrients from the food we ingest. Enzymes, made up of proteins play
an essential part in all bodily activity. Enzymes are what help us to digest
our food. In fact life could not exist without enzyme.
The body manufactures a supply of enzyme and we
also get them from the foods we eat. Unfortunately they get destroyed through
cooking and processing. This is one of the reasons why it is good to eat whole,
raw foods. This will assist the body in
the manufacturing enzymes, and raw foods
and their enzymes will also inhibit the release of enzyme the body uses to
digest cooked foods, enabling the body’s enzymes to work at a higher and more
efficient capacity.
There are three types of enzymes the body uses to
digest food; amylase for carbohydrates, protease for proteins and lipase for
fat. Plant enzymes differ from animals enzymes.
Pineapple, unripe papaya and aspergillus plant
are excellent sources of plant enzymes. These foods contain the enzymes papain
and bromelin which work to break down proteins. Health benefits from these
enzymes have been shown to assist the body with; inflammation, sports injuries,
respiratory disease, viral diseases and cancer.
In addition to being a great digestive aid
pineapples are high in Vitamin C (an antioxidant), manganese and B1 which are
necessary for energy production. Pineapple has also been shown to be good for
eye health and the prevention of macular degeneration.
The pineapple which is native to Central and
South America, as well as parts of Asia was first discovered and brought to
Europe by Christopher Columbus. It soon became a delightful sweet, nicknamed
the “pine cone of the Indians”, it was a favorite of European royalty. In
America it was customary to place a pineapple on the tale when folks came to
visit. It was a symbol of welcoming and sharing, as in colonial days the only
form of exchange was through visits and friendly chats. To this day the pineapple
represents a sign of welcome and good health.
Today when we think of pineapples we think of
Hawaii. Pineapples were first cultivated and processed in Hawaii by Mr. Dole;
hence canned Dole Pineapples. Although canned pineapples have some nutritional benefits
it is the fresh pineapple that gives us the enzymatic assistance and the greatest
degree of antioxidants.
Packed with vitamins and mineral and at only
about 52 calories per 100gm; far and away that makes pineapple a great recipe
for health.
Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com
No comments:
Post a Comment