Substitutes for Pineapple Juice

Pineapple juice provides multiple beneficial vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, manganese and copper. Pineapple juice also aids in digestion and can help reduce inflammation. Several equally delicious and satisfying fruit juices contain similar health benefits and can substitute for pineapple juice.

Proteolytic Enzymes

Bromelain is found in the stem and the juice of the pineapple fruit. Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory protelytic enzyme which helps to reduce swelling. Patients with osteoarthritis often use pineapple juice as effective pain medication when symptoms flare.

Papaya Juice

Papaya juice contains papain, a proteolytic enzyme similar to bromelain, which functions as a digestive aid and helps to break down protein. Papain produces similar anti-inflammatory effects to pineapple juice, and may be useful to reduce inflammation if you suffer from forms of arthritis or asthma. Papaya juice is also a rich source of the antioxidant vitamin C.

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice offers a delicious substitute to pineapple juice. Pomegranate juice shares the anti-inflammatory properties of pineapple juice, and is also an excellent ally in the fight against cancer. A 2010 study published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” by University of Quebec researchers found that pomegranate extract significantly inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Grapefruit Juice

The old standby grapefruit juice remains an excellent source of antioxidants. Grapefruit juice also has the added bonus of d-limonene, a compound shown to deter the development of skin cancer. In a 2000 study conducted by Arizona Cancer Center researchers and published in the journal “Nutrition and Cancer,” the d-limonene found in grapefruit was shown to lower squamous cell carcinoma incidence in study subjects, particularly when the peel of the fruit was consumed as well as the juice.