Home Ingredients Pineapple Fruit (Ananas comosus)

Pineapple Fruit (Ananas comosus)

Ananas comosus
Evidence Level
Limited
5 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Pineapple is the fruit of Ananas comosus, eaten fresh, canned or as juice. This page covers the fruit itself; the concentrated enzyme supplement made mostly from the pineapple stem is covered on the bromelain page. By USDA figures, a cup of raw pineapple chunks supplies about 79 mg of vitamin C and 1.5 mg of manganese, while canned fruit and bottled juice have far less vitamin C. Fresh fruit also contains active protein-digesting enzymes (fruit bromelain and ananain), which boiling switched off in a lab study. Human research on the fruit is thin: one unblinded trial in Filipino schoolchildren, funded by a pineapple canner, found higher counts of two immune cell types in a 30-child blood subsample given daily canned pineapple, and a few small studies looked at juice. Pineapple has a high glycemic index, can cause allergic reactions, and pineapple juice raised blood levels of two medicines in a human study.

Studied Dose Canned pineapple 140 g or 280 g a day for 9 weeks in the schoolchildren trial; 1 liter of juice added to a 2-liter bowel prep; juice pressed from 1 kg of fruit once in a melatonin study. Fresh pineapple is eaten as a food, not dosed.
Active Compound Whole-fruit matrix: vitamin C, manganese, sugars, fiber and, in fresh unheated fruit, the cysteine proteases fruit bromelain and ananain (stem bromelain is a separate supplement with its own page).

Benefits

Immune cell counts in schoolchildren eating canned pineapple

In a randomized trial of 98 Manila schoolchildren aged 6 to 12, blood immune markers were measured in a subsample of 30. Those given 140 g or 280 g of canned pineapple daily for 9 weeks had larger rises in granulocytes and CD16+56 cells than children given nothing, with the 280 g group highest. White cells, lymphocytes, CD4 and CD8 did not differ. There was no placebo, and the canner Del Monte funded it.

Supported by Trial 1

Illness episodes in schoolchildren eating canned pineapple

In the same canner-funded trial, doctors examined the children weekly; illnesses were mostly colds, cough and fever. A smaller weekly share of children in the pineapple groups had an infection, and episodes lasted about 3 to 4 days versus 5 to 6 days in the untreated group. These figures were reported descriptively with no statistical test between groups, and the children knew whether they were eating pineapple.

Supported by Trial 1

Vitamin C and manganese in fresh, canned and juice forms

By USDA figures, 100 g of raw pineapple has 47.8 mg of vitamin C and 0.93 mg of manganese, so a 165 g cup of chunks gives about 79 mg and 1.5 mg. Canned fruit in juice has 9.5 mg of vitamin C and 1.12 mg of manganese per 100 g, and bottled juice without added vitamin C has 10 mg and 0.5 mg. These are nutrient amounts, not tested outcomes.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 3

Protein-digesting enzymes in fresh, unheated fruit

Lab analysis found that pineapple fruit's protease activity comes mainly from fruit bromelain, then ananain and stem bromelain, and that fruit enzymes lose activity more easily than stem bromelain. Boiling fresh juice for 10 minutes inactivated the enzymes. How much activity survives canning or pasteurization was not measured in the sources cited here.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 1

Bowel cleansing quality when juice is added to a colonoscopy prep

In a randomized trial of 126 colonoscopy patients in Turkey, adding 1 liter of pineapple juice to a 2-liter polyethylene glycol prep improved cleansing of the right and transverse colon compared with the same prep alone or a 4-liter prep. Adequate cleansing was 80% versus 64% and 68%, and tolerability was similar. This is a medical procedure, so follow your doctor's instructions.

Supported by Trial 2

Blood melatonin and antioxidant capacity after a large juice serving

In 12 healthy men, juice pressed from 1 kg of pineapple raised serum melatonin from 48 to 146 pg/mL at 2 hours, and, across the three fruits tested, two blood antioxidant-capacity tests rose by about 6 to 14%. Orange juice and bananas gave similar rises. Results were compared with each person's own pre-drink values, with no control drink, after a single serving.

Supported by Trial 3

Mechanism of action

1

Fruit bromelain and ananain cut proteins

Pineapple fruit contains cysteine proteases. In lab assays its protease activity came mostly from fruit bromelain, with smaller contributions from ananain and stem bromelain, whereas commercial bromelain supplements are mainly stem bromelain. In mice given fresh juice, enzyme activity was detectable in stool; this is animal work.

2

Heat switches the enzymes off

Fruit bromelain and ananain were less stable than stem bromelain in lab tests, and boiling fresh pineapple juice for 10 minutes produced juice with inactive enzymes and no detectable stool enzyme activity in mice. This is why fresh and heated pineapple products cannot be assumed to deliver the same enzymes.

3

Juice slows a drug-clearing liver enzyme

In human liver microsomes, a small amount of pineapple juice almost completely blocked CYP2C9, a liver enzyme that clears many drugs, and a protease inhibitor reversed the effect, pointing to bromelain. In healthy volunteers, 4 days of pineapple juice raised blood levels of celecoxib and montelukast.

Clinical trials

1
Canned Pineapple and Immune Markers in Schoolchildren: Unblinded RCT (canner-funded)
PubMed

Randomized controlled trial with a no-treatment control; doctors and lab staff were blinded, children were not. Blood immune markers were measured in a subsample of 30. Del Monte Philippines supplied the canned pineapple and financial support, acknowledged in the paper and added to its conflict-of-interest statement by a 2019 corrigendum. (Cervo et al. 2014, J Nutr Metab)

98 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 (mean 8.4) at one Manila elementary school, normal weight or underweight: no pineapple (33), 140 g canned pineapple daily (33) or 280 g daily (32) for 9 weeks.

In the 30-child blood subsample (about 5 per subgroup), treatment significantly affected granulocyte and CD16+56 counts (ANCOVA P < 0.038 and P < 0.039), the only 2 of 9 markers to differ, which rose in the pineapple groups and fell in controls, with the 280 g group highest. White cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD20 showed no treatment effect. Infection incidence and duration looked lower with pineapple but were reported only descriptively, with no test between groups. Children were not given a placebo.

2
Pineapple Juice Added to a Reduced-Volume Colonoscopy Prep: 3-Arm RCT
PubMed

Randomized trial of three polyethylene glycol bowel-prep regimens before colonoscopy. (Altınbas et al. 2013, Ann Nutr Metab)

126 patients having colonoscopy at a hospital in Ankara, Turkey: 4 liters PEG (44), 2 liters PEG (39) or 2 liters PEG plus 1 liter of 100% pineapple juice (43).

The 4-liter and 2-liter preps cleansed similarly. Adding pineapple juice improved cleansing in the right and transverse colon; adequate cleansing was 80% with juice versus 68.1% and 63.9%. Tolerability did not differ (p = 0.509). The abstract does not report a funder.

3
Serum Melatonin After Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice or Banana: Crossover (no control)
PubMed

Crossover study with 1-week washouts comparing each fruit with pre-consumption values. (Sae-Teaw et al. 2013, J Pineal Res)

12 healthy male volunteers; juice from 1 kg of pineapple or orange, or two bananas.

Serum melatonin peaked at 120 minutes and rose from 48 to 146 pg/mL after pineapple juice (P = 0.002), similar to orange and banana. Across the three fruits, serum antioxidant capacity rose by 7 to 14% (FRAP) and 6 to 9% (ORAC). There was no placebo or water control, and only one serving was tested.

4
Glycemic Index of Pineapple and Three Other Malaysian Fruits
PubMed

Glycemic index test with foods given in random order against a glucose reference. (Robert et al. 2008, Asia Pac J Clin Nutr)

10 healthy volunteers (5 women, 5 men) eating 50 g available carbohydrate portions after an overnight fast.

Pineapple had a glycemic index of 82, significantly higher than papaya (58), watermelon (55) and durian (49). The authors classed pineapple as a high glycemic index food and noted that results depend on the food-table data used to set portions.

5
Pineapple Juice and Celecoxib or Montelukast Levels: Crossover PK Study
PubMed

Two randomized two-period crossover arms with a 2-week washout; single drug dose after 4 days of water or pineapple juice. (Helmy et al. 2020, Ther Deliv)

Human volunteers, one arm per drug; the abstract does not give the number of subjects or the juice volume.

Pineapple juice raised celecoxib peak level by 40% and total exposure (AUC) by 60%, with 45% lower clearance. For montelukast, peak level rose 21% and AUC 48%, with 25% lower clearance. No noticeable adverse effects were reported.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Pineapple allergy occurs. A report from Bangladesh described 32 people who developed itching, hives, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea soon after eating pineapple, most within half an hour; 20 had low blood pressure consistent with shock, and all recovered with treatment.
Cross-reactions: in people with suspected pineapple allergy, 8 of 19 had IgE to pineapple profilin, which cross-reacts with birch pollen and latex profilin, and a review of latex-fruit syndrome lists pineapple among foods that latex-allergic people have reacted to. People allergic to latex or pollen should take care.
A positive allergy test to the pineapple protease does not always mean a food reaction: in an Italian study of 341 allergic patients, none of those sensitized to the pineapple enzyme reported symptoms from eating it, and the authors suggested enzyme allergy is mainly occupational.
Pineapple has a high glycemic index (82 in one test), and canned fruit in juice holds about 14 g of sugars per 100 g by USDA figures, which matters for people watching blood sugar.
Isolated bromelain supplements are far more concentrated than fruit and carry their own label warnings; see the bromelain page. People allergic to pineapple should not take bromelain.

Important Drug interactions

Celecoxib and montelukast: in a human crossover study, 4 days of pineapple juice raised blood exposure to celecoxib by 60% and to montelukast by 48%. Ask your pharmacist before drinking pineapple juice regularly with these medicines.
Drugs cleared by CYP2C9, such as warfarin: pineapple juice strongly inhibited CYP2C9 in a lab study using human liver microsomes. No study cited here measured clotting or warfarin levels after eating pineapple fruit, so if you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and tell your prescriber.
The bleeding and blood-thinner cautions on bromelain drug labels apply to concentrated bromelain tablets; the sources cited here did not measure clotting effects of pineapple fruit or juice.

Frequently asked questions about Pineapple Fruit (Ananas comosus)

Is eating pineapple the same as taking bromelain?

No. Bromelain supplements are concentrated enzymes made mainly from the pineapple stem, while the fruit contains a different mix led by fruit bromelain, plus sugars, vitamin C and manganese. Bromelain trials tested tablets, not fruit, so their results do not transfer to eating pineapple. See the bromelain page for the supplement.

Does canned pineapple still have active enzymes?

Heat inactivates them: boiling fresh pineapple juice for 10 minutes left its enzymes inactive in a lab study, and fruit enzymes were less stable than stem bromelain. Canned fruit and pasteurized juice are heat-treated, but the sources cited here did not measure how much activity survives. Canned fruit in juice also has much less vitamin C than fresh by USDA figures.

Can pineapple juice affect my medicines?

Possibly. In a human study, 4 days of pineapple juice raised blood levels of celecoxib and montelukast, and in a lab study pineapple juice blocked CYP2C9, a liver enzyme that clears drugs such as warfarin. If you take these medicines, ask your pharmacist before drinking pineapple juice regularly.

Who should avoid pineapple?

Anyone who has reacted to pineapple, since reactions can be whole-body. People allergic to latex or birch pollen may cross-react. People watching blood sugar should note that pineapple has a high glycemic index and canned fruit and juice are high in sugars.

What is Pineapple Fruit?

Pineapple is the fruit of Ananas comosus, eaten fresh, canned or as juice. This page covers the fruit itself; the concentrated enzyme supplement made mostly from the pineapple stem is covered on the bromelain page. By USDA figures, a cup of raw pineapple chunks supplies about 79 mg of vitamin C and 1.

What is Pineapple Fruit used for?

NutraSmarts does not list Pineapple Fruit under a health category. What the research covers: In a randomized trial of 98 Manila schoolchildren aged 6 to 12, blood immune markers were measured in a subsample of 30. Those given 140 g or 280 g of canned pineapple daily for 9 weeks had larger rises in granulocytes and CD16+56 cells tha…

What is the recommended dosage of Pineapple Fruit?

The clinically studied dose is Canned pineapple 140 g or 280 g a day for 9 weeks in the schoolchildren trial; 1 liter of juice added to a 2-liter bowel prep; juice pressed from 1 kg of fruit once in a melatonin study. Fresh pineapple is eaten as a food, not dosed. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Pineapple Fruit safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Pineapple Fruit include: Pineapple allergy occurs. A report from Bangladesh described 32 people who developed itching, hives, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea soon after eating pineapple, most within half an hour; 20 had low blood pressure consistent with shock, and all recovered with treatment. It may also interact with some medications. Pineapple Fruit is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Pineapple Fruit interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Celecoxib and montelukast: in a human crossover study, 4 days of pineapple juice raised blood exposure to celecoxib by 60% and to montelukast by 48%. Ask your pharmacist before drinking pineapple juice regularly with these medicines. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Pineapple Fruit?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Pineapple Fruit as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 5 study summaries and 16 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(16 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Cervo MM, Llido LO, Barrios EB, Panlasigui LN. Effects of canned pineapple consumption on nutritional status, immunomodulation, and physical health of selected school children. J Nutr Metab. 2014;2014:861659. doi: 10.1155/2014/861659.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized controlled trial in 98 Manila schoolchildren aged 6 to 12: no pineapple, 140 g or 280 g canned pineapple daily for 9 weeks. Blood immune markers were measured in a subsample of 30 children; treatment significantly affected granulocyte and CD16+56 counts (higher with pineapple, highest at 280 g); other immune markers showed no treatment effect. Infection incidence and duration were lower in the pineapple groups but reported only descriptively. No placebo; physicians and lab staff were blinded. Del Monte Philippines supplied the fruit and financial support (thanked in the Acknowledgments; the conflict-of-interest statement was corrected in 2019).
  2. Cervo MMC, Llido LO, Barrios EB, Panlasigui LN. Corrigendum to "Effects of Canned Pineapple Consumption on Nutritional Status, Immunomodulation, and Physical Health of Selected School Children". J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:5731952. doi: 10.1155/2019/5731952.PubMedUsed to support: Corrected conflict-of-interest statement for the 2014 canned pineapple trial: Del Monte Philippines provided the canned pineapple and financial support but had no stated role in design, analysis or publication, and one author previously conducted studies for the company on a juice drink, ending in 2010.
  3. Altınbas A, Aktas B, Yılmaz B, Ekiz F, Deveci M, Basar O, Simsek Z, Coban S, Tuna Y, Uyar MF, Yuksel O. Adding pineapple juice to a polyethylene glycol-based bowel cleansing regime improved the quality of colon cleaning. Ann Nutr Metab. 2013;63(1-2):83-7. doi: 10.1159/000354094.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized trial in 126 colonoscopy patients in Turkey: 4 liters PEG, 2 liters PEG, or 2 liters PEG plus 1 liter of pineapple juice. Adding juice improved cleansing of the right and transverse colon; adequate cleansing was 80% versus 68.1% and 63.9%, with similar tolerability (p = 0.509).
  4. Sae-Teaw M, Johns J, Johns NP, Subongkot S. Serum melatonin levels and antioxidant capacities after consumption of pineapple, orange, or banana by healthy male volunteers. J Pineal Res. 2013;55(1):58-64. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12025.PubMedUsed to support: Crossover study in 12 healthy men: juice from 1 kg of pineapple raised serum melatonin from 48 to 146 pg/mL at 120 minutes versus pre-consumption values, similar to orange juice and banana, and, across the three fruits, serum antioxidant capacity rose 7 to 14% (FRAP) and 6 to 9% (ORAC). No control drink; single servings.
  5. Robert SD, Ismail AA, Winn T, Wolever TM. Glycemic index of common Malaysian fruits. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008;17(1):35-9..PubMedUsed to support: Glycemic index test in 10 healthy volunteers: pineapple had a glycemic index of 82, significantly higher than papaya (58), watermelon (55) and durian (49); the authors classed pineapple as a high glycemic index food.
  6. Helmy SA, El-Bedaiwy HM, El-Masry SM. Effect of pineapple juice on the pharmacokinetics of celecoxib and montelukast in humans. Ther Deliv. 2020;11(5):301-311. doi: 10.4155/tde-2020-0020.PubMedUsed to support: Two randomized two-period crossover arms in humans: after 4 days of pineapple juice versus water, a single dose of celecoxib reached 40% higher peak levels and 60% higher AUC (clearance down 45%), and montelukast 21% higher peak and 48% higher AUC (clearance down 25%). No noticeable adverse effects.
  7. Hidaka M, Nagata M, Kawano Y, Sekiya H, Kai H, Yamasaki K, Okumura M, Arimori K. Inhibitory effects of fruit juices on cytochrome P450 2C9 activity in vitro. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008;72(2):406-11. doi: 10.1271/bbb.70511.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study in human liver microsomes of 17 fruit juices. Pineapple juice was a potent CYP2C9 inhibitor, with 25 microliters (5% v/v) giving almost complete inhibition; bromelain also strongly inhibited CYP2C9, and the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64 almost entirely blocked both effects.
  8. Hale LP, Greer PK, Trinh CT, James CL. Proteinase activity and stability of natural bromelain preparations. Int Immunopharmacol. 2005;5(4):783-93. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2004.12.007.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study. Commercial bromelain preparations contain mainly stem bromelain, whereas the protease activity of pineapple fruit reflects fruit bromelain greater than ananain, roughly equal to stem bromelain. Stability ranked stem bromelain above fruit bromelain and ananain, and dilute solutions lost activity more readily than concentrated ones.
  9. Hale LP, Chichlowski M, Trinh CT, Greer PK. Dietary supplementation with fresh pineapple juice decreases inflammation and colonic neoplasia in IL-10-deficient mice with colitis. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2010;16(12):2012-21. doi: 10.1002/ibd.21320.PubMedUsed to support: Mouse study (animal work). Fresh pineapple juice was compared with juice boiled for 10 minutes to inactivate its enzymes; fresh juice produced bromelain activity in stool while boiled juice did not, and mice on fresh juice had lower colon inflammation scores and better survival in a colitis model. Not a human result.
  10. Kabir I, Speelman P, Islam A. Systemic allergic reaction and diarrhoea after pineapple ingestion. Trop Geogr Med. 1993;45(2):77-9..PubMedUsed to support: Case series of 32 patients in Bangladesh who became ill shortly after eating pineapple, 68% within half an hour: itching and hives, then abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea; 20 had low pulse and blood pressure suggesting an anaphylactoid reaction. All recovered with treatment.
  11. Reindl J, Rihs HP, Scheurer S, Wangorsch A, Haustein D, Vieths S. IgE reactivity to profilin in pollen-sensitized subjects with adverse reactions to banana and pineapple. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2002;128(2):105-14. doi: 10.1159/000059400.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study of patient sera: IgE bound pineapple profilin in 8 of 19 people with suspected pineapple allergy (42%), and pineapple profilin cross-reacted strongly with birch pollen profilin and latex profilin.
  12. Gromek W, Kołdej N, Świtała S, Majsiak E, Kurowski M. Revisiting Latex-Fruit Syndrome after 30 Years of Research: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Description of Two Cases. J Clin Med. 2024;13(14):4222. doi: 10.3390/jcm13144222.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic literature review of latex-fruit syndrome. Banana, avocado, kiwifruit and papaya were the most common fruits involved; the full text lists pineapple among other foods that people with latex-fruit syndrome have reacted to, and most reported reactions were systemic.
  13. Giangrieco I, Ciardiello MA, Tamburrini M, Tuppo L, Rafaiani C, Mari A, Alessandri C. Comparative Analysis of the Immune Response and the Clinical Allergic Reaction to Papain-like Cysteine Proteases from Fig, Kiwifruit, Papaya, Pineapple and Mites in an Italian Population. Foods. 2023;12(15):2852. doi: 10.3390/foods12152852.PubMedUsed to support: Study of 341 Italian allergic patients: none of those with IgE to the papaya, pineapple or fig cysteine proteases reported allergy symptoms after eating these foods. The authors suggest allergy to these plant proteases may be mainly occupational. Two authors developed the test used.
  14. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Pineapple, raw, all varieties (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169124). USDA FoodData Central. 2019;SR Legacy food 169124..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. Per 100 g of raw pineapple: 50 kcal, 1.4 g dietary fiber, 9.85 g total sugars, 47.8 mg vitamin C, 0.927 mg manganese, 0.7 mcg vitamin K. Portion listed: 1 cup chunks = 165 g.
  15. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Pineapple, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169126). USDA FoodData Central. 2019;SR Legacy food 169126..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. Per 100 g of pineapple canned in juice (solids and liquids): 60 kcal, 0.8 g dietary fiber, 14.4 g total sugars, 9.5 mg vitamin C, 1.12 mg manganese.
  16. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Pineapple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169947). USDA FoodData Central. 2019;SR Legacy food 169947..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. Per 100 g of unsweetened canned or bottled pineapple juice without added vitamin C: 53 kcal, 9.98 g total sugars, 10 mg vitamin C, 0.504 mg manganese.