Pineapples are fantastic in our favorite tropical drinks, but they are so much more diverse, undeserving of a fate filled with garnishing blended sugary drinks for tourists.

Contrary to its sweet flavor, pineapple is actually low in calories per single serving, and contains lots of fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and is part of a healthy diet in many more ways.

There’s more good news for pineapple lovers, especially those who suffer from joint pain, pineapples can help with this as well.

Pineapples naturally contain a protein-digesting enzyme called bromelain, which is prevalent in other tropical fruits as well. Bromelain has been found to fight inflammation in the body, making pineapple well suited to decrease joint pain.

Not only is pineapple great for decreasing inflammation and relieving joint pain, part and parcel of bromelain’s benefits is its ability to reduce osteoarthritis pain as well as some common anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen when taken in supplement form.

Some studies of bromelain suggest that its joint aiding promise doesn’t end with relieving small joint pains, research shows promise that bromelain can also provide relief for such life plaguing, and sometimes debilitating, diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Another tropical fruit that can treat joint pain is papaya. Like pineapple, papaya is also high in an anti-inflammatory enzyme.

Papaya is not only high in the enzyme papain, it is actually the only source of this enzyme.

Papain has been found to be so effective that it is used in an injectable form to treat back pain, and can be used topically to relieve pain from burns, stings and wounds and help ease post-operative pain.