This Pineapple Skin Home Remedy Can Help Repopulate Your Intestinal Flora
We all tend to throw away pineapple skin. However, it’s a marvelous ingredient for making a fermented drink that helps to repopulate your intestinal flora. In this article, we will share the recipe for this surprising and delicious drink, as well as its multiple health properties.
What is intestinal flora?
Intestinal flora is a complex of multiple species of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract, especially in the colon. A few hours after our birth, these microbes, consisting mainly of bacteria, start to reach our body through the foods we ingest.
The intestinal flora multiplies despite being damaged by dietary changes and antibiotics. By age two, we have our definitive bacterial flora.
First of all, the function of intestinal flora is related to the fermentation and digestion of indigestible foods like vegetable fiber.
In addition, it also influences the production of some nutrients, the absorption of some minerals and the balance of the immune system. For this reason, it’s essential to care for it. After all, disturbing it can cause us many health problems.
See also: 7 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
How is my intestinal flora?
Many people wonder how they can find out whether they have healthy or reduced intestinal flora. Some of the indicators that demonstrate a deficient state include:
- Tendency to suffer from infections
- Digestive problems like bloating, gases, and flatulence
- Poor digestion of certain foods, especially starches and sugars
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Intestinal parasites
- Food allergies
- Thyroid disorders
How to repopulate your intestinal flora?
Probiotics
Probiotics are the solution for damaged intestinal flora. They’re natural, live organisms that gradually repopulate your intestinal flora when consumed.
In general, we can get them from some fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir or yogurt. In addition, we can get them through supplements that should be taken on an empty stomach to be effective.
This pineapple drink also helps regenerate the flora.
Fermented pineapple drink
This delicious homemade, medicinal drink is made by fermenting pineapple skin. This skin usually contains several microorganisms (as long as the fruit hasn’t been treated with fungicides).
For this reason, you should choose organic or naturally-grown pineapples.
As well as getting all the benefits of a fermented food, the specific qualities of pineapple also make this drink excellent for:
- Improving digestion
- Fighting liquid retention and bloating
- Improving circulation
- Fighting pain and inflammation
Ingredients
- The skin of two medium pineapples or one large one
- 2 1/2 cups of brown sugar (500 g)
- 3 liters of water
Preparation
- First, wash the pineapple skin thoroughly with the help of a brush and a little vinegar.
- Peel it, leaving a bit of flesh on the skin, and cut it into small chunks.
- Put it in a large glass flask and add two liters of water and the brown sugar.
- Leave the flask at room temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius for two days. If it’s colder than this, the process may take a little longer to complete.
- After this time, strain the drink, add the last liter of water and leave it to ferment for another 12 hours.
- To stop the fermentation, put the drink in the fridge.
- Given that the microbes consume the sugar during the fermentation process, if you like, you can sweeten the drink with a little honey or stevia.
We recommend you read: Detox Your Body with Papaya and Pineapple
How to drink it
This drink is refreshing and revitalizing at any time of day.
However, if what we want is to benefit from its properties for repopulating the intestinal flora, we should drink it on an empty stomach, at least half an hour before eating.
As a treatment, you can also drink one small glass (100 ml) on an empty stomach, one small glass half an hour before lunch and one small glass before dinner.
Overall, you can do this medicinal treatment periodically when you feel the need to repopulate your intestinal flora or after taking antibiotics. This way, you’ll avoid the drop in your defenses that you usually experience after taking this kind of medicine.
For a complete treatment, you also need to follow a balanced diet.
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All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Eckburg, P. B., Bik, E. M., Bernstein, C. N., Purdom, E., Dethlefsen, L., Sargent, M., … Relman, D. A. (2005). Microbiology: Diversity of the human intestinal microbial flora. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1110591
- Guarner, F., & Malagelada, J. R. (2003). Gut flora in health and disease. Lancet. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12489-0
- Hawrelak, J. A., & Myers, S. P. (2004). The causes of intestinal dysbiosis: A review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/0965-2299(93)90012-3
- Larrauri, J. A., Rupérez, P., & Saura Calixto, F. (1997). Pineapple Shell as a Source of Dietary Fiber with Associated Polyphenols. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf970450j
