Pineapple juice contains nutrients and beneficial compounds that may support your health, including bromelain, which may boost immunity and improve digestion.
Pineapple juice is a popular tropical beverage.
It’s made from pineapple fruit, which is native to South America, and crops are grown in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, India, China, and the Philippines.
Many cultures use the fruit and its juices as a traditional folk remedy to treat or prevent various ailments.
Modern research has linked pineapple juice and its compounds to health benefits, such as improved digestion and heart health, reduced inflammation, and perhaps even some protection against cancer. However, not all evidence has been conclusive.
Here are 7 science-based benefits of pineapple juice, based on the current research.
Pineapple juice provides a concentrated dose of various nutrients.
- Calories: 132
- Protein: less than 1 gram
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Carbs: 32 grams
- Sugars: 25 grams
- Fiber: less than 1 gram
- Manganese: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Copper: 19% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 15% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 122% of the DV
- Thiamine: 12% of the DV
- Folate: 11% of the DV
- Potassium: 7% of the DV
- Magnesium: 7% of the DV
Pineapple juice is particularly rich in manganese, copper, and vitamins B6 and C. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, immunity, wound healing, energy production, and tissue synthesis.
It also contains trace amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamin K, as well as various B vitamins.
In addition to being rich in vitamins and minerals, pineapple juice is a good source of antioxidants, which are beneficial plant compounds that help keep your body healthy.
Antioxidants help neutralize unstable compounds known as free radicals, which can build up in your body due to factors like pollution, stress, or an unhealthy diet and cause cell damage.
Pineapple juice also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes linked to health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and stronger immunity.
Pineapple juice may help reduce inflammation, which is believed to be the root cause of many chronic diseases.
It contains bromelain, which may have
In addition, there’s evidence that ingesting bromelain before surgery may help reduce the level of inflammation and pain caused by surgery.
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Pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system.
Bromelain, a compound in pineapple juice, may also improve recovery from infections, such as pneumonia, sinusitis, and bronchitis, especially when used in combination with antibiotics.
However, most of these studies are dated, and none have examined the immunity-boosting effects of pineapple juice in humans. Therefore, more research is needed to confirm these results.
The enzymes in pineapple juice function as proteases. Proteases help break down protein into smaller subunits, such as amino acids and small peptides, which can then be more easily absorbed in your gut.
Bromelain, a group of enzymes in pineapple juice, may particularly help improve digestion in people whose pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes — a medical condition known as pancreatic insufficiency.
Animal research suggests that bromelain may also help protect your gut from harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, such as E. coli and V. cholera.
Moreover, according to some test-tube research, bromelain may help reduce gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
A more recent 2024 study also underscored the efficacy of bromelain for multiple health conditions, such as digestive health, cardiovascular health, and osteoarthritis.
The bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice may also benefit your heart.
A 2024 study concluded that bromelain provides protection for lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which can help prevent atherosclerosis.
However, the number of studies is limited, and none are specific to pineapple juice. Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Pineapple juice may have potential cancer-fighting effects. Again, this is likely in large part due to its bromelain content.
Research suggests that bromelain may help prevent the formation of tumors, reduce their size, or even cause the death of cancerous cells.
However, these were test-tube studies using concentrated amounts of bromelain that were much higher than those you’d ingest from drinking a glass of pineapple juice. This makes it difficult to project their results to humans.
Therefore, more research is necessary before strong conclusions can be made.
Pineapple juice is generally considered safe for most people.
As such, if you are taking medications, consult your healthcare provider or registered dietitian to make sure it’s safe to consume pineapple juice.
Despite its potential benefits, it’s important to remember that pineapple juice remains low in fiber yet high in sugar.
What’s more, while drinking small amounts of juice
Therefore, it may be best to stick to the dietary guidelines of limiting juice consumption to half of your daily fruit intake. Furthermore, when you have juice, stick to 100% pure varieties free of added sugars.
Pineapple juice contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that may protect you from disease.
Studies link this beverage to improved digestion, heart health, and immunity. Pineapple juice or its compounds may also help reduce inflammation and perhaps even offer some protection against certain types of cancer.
However, human studies are limited, and it’s unclear whether the effects observed in test tubes or animals can be achieved by small daily intakes of pineapple juice.
Moreover, this beverage remains low in fiber and rich in sugar, so drinking large quantities each day is not recommended.