Pineapple is well-known as a tasty and nutritious tropical fruit. But when you take a closer look at the benefits of pineapple for men, you’re sure to be impressed by the number of ways the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes in pineapple can boost men’s health. Here are the ways pineapple will benefit men’s health and most notably, how it can help to improve men’s sexual health and sexual performance.

View the list of all 10 Best Foods for Men’s Sexual Health

What does pineapple do for men?

The best place to start exploring pineapple benefits for men is to look at the fruit’s nutrition. The nutrients in fresh pineapple support everything from digestion to weight loss to muscle recovery and it is especially good for men’s sexual health.

Nutrition at-a-glance

Here’s a breakdown of the nutrients in this delicious tropical fruit that help contribute to men’s sexual health and overall well-being.

A 1-cup serving of raw pineapple contains:

• 2.3g fiber
• .9g protein
• 78.9mg vitamin C
• .1mg thiamin
• 29.7mcg folate
• .8mg niacin
• .5mg iron
• .2mg zinc
• 19.8mg magnesium
• 180mg potassium
• .2mg copper
• 1.5mg manganese

General health benefits

Here are some of the best ways the nutrition in pineapple can support men’s overall health and wellness:

Boosts immunity

This sweet tropical fruit is a source of several immunity-boosting nutrients including vitamin C. This vitamin is not only well-known as an immunity booster but is even clinically linked with preventing and treating infections. Another nutrient in pineapple with proven immunity-boosting properties is the enzyme bromelain.

But this isn’t the only benefit of bromelain.

Reduces inflammation

Bromelain has been studied as a natural anti-inflammatory. It is proven beneficial in reducing the inflammation associated with arthritis. It is also believed to potentially reduce swelling and pain caused by sinusitis. There is substantial evidence that this enzyme has powerful immunity-boosting properties beyond its ability to reduce inflammation. Further studies are needed to completely understand how bromelain can help with pain and inflammation. However, it is clear that this enzyme is beneficial to those with inflammation.

Aids in digestion

The bromelain in pineapple is also believed to aid in the digestion of meat. (This is why the fruit is often served alongside meat in the tropical countries where it grows, like Brazil and Thailand.) Of course, pineapple is also a good source of fiber, which also aids in digestive health.

Fights signs of aging

Vitamin C is not the only powerful antioxidant found in pineapple. The fruit is also noted as a source of flavonoids and phenolic acids. These antioxidants fight free radicals in the body. Although we usually connect antioxidants with anti-aging and associate high-antioxidant foods with women and beauty, antioxidants are important to men, too. They help fight visible signs of aging and promote skin health. And they’re even linked with the prevention of some age-related diseases.

Keeps you hydrated

Pineapple is also recognized as a source of water for hydration and natural sugars for energy. And pineapple contains magnesium and potassium, both of which are electrolytes helping to keep your fluid levels in balance.

Supports weight loss

A healthy, sweet snack, pineapple is noted as a weight loss aid as well as good food for weight control. This might be because pineapple is rich in fiber. And fiber is recognized for helping you feel full longer. A serving of raw pineapple offers about 2.3 grams of fiber.

Aids in muscle recovery

An important benefit for active men, pineapple is known for helping reduce muscle fatigue post-workout. Because the bromelain in pineapple can reduce inflammation, it is believed to be the key to pineapple’s ability to reduce muscle soreness.

Improves mood

One of the vitamins found in pineapple, thiamin, is linked with improved mood and cognition. In one clinical trial, subjects taking 50mg of thiamin daily reported being more clear-headed, composed and energetic.

The sexual benefits of pineapple for men

Now that we understand some of the ways in which pineapple can benefit a man’s overall health and wellness, let’s take a closer look at what it can do for a man’s sex life. There are several nutrients in a pineapple linked with men’s sexual performance and sexual desire. Here’s a look at the ways this nutritious fruit can impact men’s sex drive and sexual performance.

Improves sex drive

Pineapple is a remarkably good source of manganese. (One cup of raw pineapple gives you about 76% of your recommended daily intake.) Manganese is key to men’s sexual health for many reasons but one of the most notable is the fact that it’s linked with libido and sex hormone levels. According to Nature’s Aphrodisiacs, lab studies show that manganese deficiency in male subjects can cause a loss of sex drive and a lack of semen.

Increases testosterone production

The bromelain in pineapple isn’t just good for immunity and digestion. It is incredibly beneficial to men’s sexual health because the enzyme aids in triggering the production of testosterone. Manganese, another important nutrient in pineapple, is also linked with testosterone production and may help men keep sex hormones in balance.

Improves sexual stamina

The B vitamin thiamin found in pineapple is known to boost energy and sex drive. Some experts even suggest that its energy-boosting properties will increase sexual stamina. I can’t find any clinical trials to back the sexual stamina claim but this is one theory you could easily test for yourself.

Diminishes symptoms of erectile dysfunction

Vitamin C is associated with healthy blood flow. That’s because the vitamin boosts the bioavailability of nitric oxide. (Nitric oxide helps increase blood flow for a man to achieve an erection.) However, there is no evidence that vitamin C on its own will treat erectile dysfunction. But the fruit is known to be beneficial to blood flow and new cell growth and it is highly recommended to consume foods rich in vitamin C like pineapple to support these processes key to sexual health.

Improves sperm quality and sperm production

The fruit is also recognized for improving sperm count. And that may simply be because pineapple provides hydration. Water is a key to healthy sperm and, as I mentioned earlier, pineapple is packed with water. In addition, the tropical fruit also contains many nutrients necessary for healthy sperm production. These include the aforementioned manganese, vitamin C and thiamin. Other nutrients in pineapple linked with male fertility include folate, copper and zinc.

Pineapple juice for men

If you’re wondering, “Is pineapple juice good for you?” The answer is yes, but…while the nutrition in pineapple juice is linked to many of the same benefits as fresh pineapple, this juice does have a lot of sugar. A cup of pineapple juice has around 25g of sugar, while the same amount of fresh pineapple chunks has around 16g.

But the juice is more readily available than the fresh fruit. And it is still rich in antioxidants, bromelain, potassium and manganese just like fresh pineapple fruit. But if you want to get the benefits of eating pineapple and are considering getting them from pineapple juice, you’ll want to watch your overall sugar intake in your diet and possibly consider cutting out some other sugary foods.

RELATED: Discover the sex benefits of cranberry juice

Does pineapple juice benefit men sexually?

You may have heard of a fabled use for pineapple juice when it comes to men and the sexual partners who pleasure them orally. So does drinking pineapple juice make a man’s semen sweeter?

It turns out, it’s true, at least if folklore is to be believed. According to accounts by women whose partners drink pineapple juice, the drink changes the flavor of semen and makes sperm taste sweeter. I’ve even read the recommendation that a man should drink 8 ounces of pineapple juice several hours before this sexual act to make semen taste sweeter.

Look, that all sounds great and there is a reasonable amount of anecdotal information to support the claim. But you need to know that there’s absolutely no scientific evidence that the taste of a man’s sperm actually becomes sweeter after he’s consumed pineapple juice. What most likely happens is that the acidity in the juice slightly alters the flavor of semen by diminishing bitterness.

The real takeaway here is that pineapple has some fantastic benefits to men sexually. And you don’t need to plan out exactly when you eat fresh pineapple to get all of the remarkable benefits. Just be sure to eat it frequently to experience pineapple’s sex benefits.

Discover why pineapple is an aphrodisiac for both men and women

Potential side effects

Any major dietary changes should be discussed with your doctor. Overindulging in pineapple and pineapple juice can result in unwanted side effects such as mouth sores, abdominal pain and indigestion. Avoid drinking the juice of an unripe pineapple, as this can cause vomiting. You may want to avoid eating pineapple on an empty stomach. Some eaters report discomfort when eating this fruit first thing in the morning.

How to select, store and cook this fantastic fruit

To select a fresh pineapple at the market, look for a fruit with healthy green leaves. Ripe pineapples are often a golden color but a pineapple with a greenish hue can actually be ripe, too. A ripe pineapple should give ever so slightly when you squeeze it. And it should give off a sweet smell near its base.

Fresh, cut pineapple should be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Toss a few chunks into the blender with a ripe banana, a peeled, whole tangerine and a few pieces of frozen mango to make a sex-boosting, pure fruit smoothie.

The raw fruit also makes a perfect snack. But here are a few more creative ways to enjoy the benefits of pineapple:

Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
Saffron Cheesecake with Roasted Pineapple
Spicy Green Tea Rum Punch

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pineapple photo courtesy of Kozzi.com

Edited by Delahna Flagg, PhD: This article was reviewed and additional research was provided by Center for Mind-Body Medicine certified practitioner and Eat Something Sexy Nutrition Director Delahna Flagg.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It is important to consult your physician before making dietary changes. More information

This article was written in 2015 and most recently updated in April 2023.

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Amy Reiley

Eat Something Sexy's Creator & Editor-in-Chief Amy Reiley is the award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks. She has her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, awarded by Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Adelaide.

Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs and her work in the field of aphrodisiac food history and health science is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiacs and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac foods to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.

Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.

Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.

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