Summer is fast approaching, and that means summer fruits are on their way too! Do you like pineapple? Pineapple juice and the stem of the plant contain a very beneficial enzyme called bromelain. You can spend your whole summer eating pineapple to reap these benefits, or you can make sure your supplements contain bromelain. Our diets are high in protein, and bromelain helps the body break down protein for better absorption and digestion.
We've introduced the ABCs of proBLENopathy to help you understand the different ingredients and hormones we discuss on our website. Today, we are focusing on the letter B, for bromelain.
What Does Bromelain Do?:
Put simply, bromelain breaks down protein. This has obvious benefits, as many of the foods you eat are high in protein. Since they have been thoroughly cooked, most of the naturally occurring enzymes are destroyed. As a proteolytic enzyme, it assists the body's own digestive mechanisms in reducing large, complex protein molecules into smaller peptide units or individual amino acids.
These smaller components are crucial for your own production of muscle, neurotransmitters, and other protein-based molecules that your body produces. Many of bromelain's benefits, however, depend on the intact enzyme's absorption in the small intestine; this absorption enables systemic effects, such as reducing inflammation.
The Health Benefits of Bromelain:
- Swelling & Inflammation
- Arthritis & Sinus Pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Reduced Inflammation After Sports Injuries
- Varicose Veins & Hemorrhoids
- Sinusitis
- Indigestion & Heartburn
- Helps Balance the Acidity of the Stomach
- May Boost Overall Immune Strength
- May Stop Blood Platelets From Clotting
- May Help Bronchitis
- Pneumonia & Urinary Tract Infections
Bromelain & Food Digestion:
Bromelain is definitely useful as a digestive enzyme. Unlike most digestive enzymes, bromelain is active in the acid environment of the stomach and the alkaline environment of the small intestine. This may make it particularly effective as an oral digestive aid for those who do not digest food properly. While most large enzymes are broken down in the digestive tract, those found in bromelain appear to be absorbed whole to a certain extent. This finding makes it reasonable to suppose that bromelain can produce systemic (whole-body) effects. Once in the blood, bromelain appears to reduce inflammation, "thin" the blood, and affect the immune system. These influences may be responsible for some of bromelain's therapeutic effects.
We usually cook our food to such a degree that all beneficial, naturally occurring enzymes are destroyed. Bromelain is definitely useful as a digestive enzyme. Unlike most digestive enzymes, bromelain is active in both the stomach's acidic environment and the small intestine's alkaline environment.
Bromelain, being a proteolytic enzyme, assists the body's own digestive mechanisms in reducing large, complex protein molecules into smaller peptide units or individual amino acids. These smaller components are crucial for your own production of muscle, neurotransmitters, and other protein-based molecules that your body produces. According to OmniVistaHealth Learning, many of bromelain's benefits, however, are based on the absorption of the intact enzyme in the small intestine; this absorption makes its systemic effects possible, such as reducing inflammation.
