Pineapple is a
quintessential tropical fruit, evoking images of relaxing beaches, swaying palm
trees and refreshing umbrella-topped cocktails. The fruit is well liked in
India, though it is not a feature of many dishes as it is in other Asian
countries like Thailand and Malaysia.
As
explained in the book, “History of Food,” Pineapple’s origin is Brazil and
Paraguay. Europe’s first knowledge of the fruit came about when Columbus came
to Guadaloupe in 1493, and word since spread to the Spanish and Portuguese
voyagers. When the Spanish brought the pineapple to Charles V during his reign
between 1500 and 1558, he found the fruit utterly disgusting (partly due to its
spoilage while in transit). Like so many
other fruits, however, it quickly became en vogue in Europe’s aristocratic
green houses by the late 18th century.
India
has grown the fruit for centuries: In 1548, the Portuguese traders brought
seeds to India after visiting the nearby Indonesian islands. In fact,
missionaries from Australia first imported their plants from India’s soils
during the early 1800s.
Pineapple grows in the
country’s humid, high-rainfall regions along the Southern peninsula and the
hilly areas in Northeastern India. Areas that grow the fruit on a large scale
commercially include Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal,
Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa; to a lesser scale, Gujarat, Orissa, Bihar, Tamil
Nadu, Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Pineapple has a number of
recognized health benefits, both in pharmacology and traditional medicine.
According to a Purdue
horticulture article, pineapple has been used traditionally to act as a diuretic and induce labor. The juice is gargled to remedy sore throats and seasickness.
Young, unripe (and subsequently toxic) pineapples act as a vermifuge but should not be eaten by pregnant women, as the unripe
fruit may induce miscarriage. Unripe pineapple is also believed to treat venereal diseases. In Africa, the roots
treat edema, and pineapple rind with rosemary treats hemorrhoids.
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A study posted in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology
cites that pineapple leaves hold potential as a diabetic tool on account of its ability to increase insulin
sensitivity.
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According to a study
published in the Journal of
Pharmacological Sciences, pineapple leaves may treat hyperlipidemia.
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A study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
states that bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, has a therapeutic effect for patients with allergies and asthma due
to its ability to inhibit airway inflammation.
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As per a study
published in Molecular Carcinogenesis,
bromelain exhibits anticancer properties
by inhibiting cancer cell growth.
