What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.
Nutrition per serving 1 cup chunks (165 g)
Water142 g86%
Sugars16.2 g10%
Fibre2.3 g1%
Other carbs3.1 g2%
Protein0.8 g0%
Fat0.2 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a fruit used for high vitamin c supports immune function and antioxidant defence. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Pineapple is a nutrient-dense tropical fruit notable for vitamin C and manganese, and is the dietary source of the proteolytic enzyme complex bromelain. Most human health evidence concerns concentrated bromelain supplements rather than the whole fruit: a 40-patient pilot RCT found 500 mg/day bromelain improved WOMAC osteoarthritis scores over 16 weeks, and a meta-analysis of 6 RCTs showed moderate reductions in pain (but not swelling or trismus) after third-molar surgery. A systematic review of bromelain and inflammation found effects to be inconsistent and isolated rather than consistently positive, and trials are small, heterogeneous, and often combine bromelain with other enzymes. A controlled trial of canned-pineapple intake in schoolchildren suggested fewer infections, but whole-fruit clinical data are sparse. Overall, the weight of human evidence for health benefits from eating pineapple itself is preliminary; the stronger (still moderate-quality) signals come from supplemental bromelain.
Purported Benefits
✓High vitamin C supports immune function and antioxidant defence
✓Manganese contributes to bone and connective-tissue metabolism
✓Bromelain may reduce post-surgical pain and improve recovery quality of life
✓Possible adjunctive relief of osteoarthritis pain (supplemental bromelain)
✓Provides hydration and modest dietary fibre
✓Bromelain may affect some inflammatory markers, though trial evidence is inconsistent
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
A typical serving is 1 cup of fresh chunks (~165 g), delivering most of a day's vitamin C and roughly two-thirds the Daily Value for manganese. Bromelain-specific benefits in trials use concentrated supplements (roughly 200-1200 mg/day), not the amounts realistically obtained from eating the fruit.
Bromelain can cause oral tingling/irritation and mild GI upset (nausea, diarrhoea); IgE-mediated allergy and cross-reactivity (latex-fruit syndrome) occur. Bromelain has antiplatelet/fibrinolytic activity and may potentiate anticoagulants (warfarin), antiplatelet drugs, and increase absorption of some antibiotics (amoxicillin, tetracycline); caution before surgery. The fruit's natural sugars (~16 g per cup) warrant portion awareness in diabetes. Unlike grapefruit, pineapple is not a clinically significant CYP3A4 inhibitor. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Pineapple with any medicine.
Pineapple is most often taken for High vitamin C supports immune function and antioxidant defence, Manganese contributes to bone and connective-tissue metabolism, Bromelain may reduce post-surgical pain and improve recovery quality of life, Possible adjunctive relief of osteoarthritis pain (supplemental bromelain). Tropical source of vitamin C and bromelain
Does Pineapple work — what does the evidence say?
Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Pineapple is a nutrient-dense tropical fruit notable for vitamin C and manganese, and is the dietary source of the proteolytic enzyme complex bromelain. Most human health evidence concerns concentrated bromelain supplements rather than the whole fruit: a 40-patient pilot RCT found 500 mg/day bromelain improved WOMAC osteoarthritis scores over 16 weeks, and a meta-analysis of 6 RCTs showed moderate reductions in pain (but not swelling or trismus) after third-molar surgery. A systematic review of bromelain and inflammation found effects to be inconsistent and isolated rather than consistently positive, and trials are small, heterogeneous, and often combine bromelain with other enzymes. A controlled trial of canned-pineapple intake in schoolchildren suggested fewer infections, but whole-fruit clinical data are sparse. Overall, the weight of human evidence for health benefits from eating pineapple itself is preliminary; the stronger (still moderate-quality) signals come from supplemental bromelain.
What is the typical dose of Pineapple?
A typical serving is 1 cup of fresh chunks (~165 g), delivering most of a day's vitamin C and roughly two-thirds the Daily Value for manganese. Bromelain-specific benefits in trials use concentrated supplements (roughly 200-1200 mg/day), not the amounts realistically obtained from eating the fruit.
Is Pineapple safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Bromelain can cause oral tingling/irritation and mild GI upset (nausea, diarrhoea); IgE-mediated allergy and cross-reactivity (latex-fruit syndrome) occur. Bromelain has antiplatelet/fibrinolytic activity and may potentiate anticoagulants (warfarin), antiplatelet drugs, and increase absorption of some antibiotics (amoxicillin, tetracycline); caution before surgery. The fruit's natural sugars (~16 g per cup) warrant portion awareness in diabetes. Unlike grapefruit, pineapple is not a clinically significant CYP3A4 inhibitor.
How many studies support Pineapple?
NutriDex cites 11 sources for Pineapple, graded "Preliminary".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Pineapple (Ananas comosus): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/pineapple
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_pineapple,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Pineapple (Ananas comosus): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/pineapple},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.