Pineapple is an amazing and unique fruit. It’s delicious on its own, but we love it on a pizza, in a fruit salad, as a juice, or as a garnish in a cocktail, and you know pineapple margaritas are the best. But how much do you know about pineapples? They have quite a fascinating history and we bet you will be surprised by some of the facts about them.
The pineapple is native to South America and has been cultivated by the natives before the Europeans arrived and discovered this strange looking but delicious fruit. The Europeans also tried to cultivate it, but soon realized that it needs a tropical climate, so they brought it to their Asian and African colonies.
2. Speaking of growing pineapples, did you know that it takes almost 3 years to grow one pineapple fruit? It is easy to grow the plant, you only need to plant one pineapple leaf to grow a full plant. But the process of production and ripening of the fruit will take between 18 and 20 months. And a pineapple plant can only produce one pineapple fruit at a time. Think about that the next time you complain about the prince of fresh pineapples.
3. The name “pineapple” dates back to the 1660s. The reason it’s called that is because the fruit looks like a pineapple on the outside. Pineapples are quite spiky and well protected on the outside, so we wonder how people found out that it was edible and so tasty.
4. However, pineapples are only tasty when ripe. When they are not ripe, their juices are irritating and very green, the small pineapples are actually toxic and poisonous. It is unlikely that you will come across green pineapples in the store, but still, the more ripe, the better and sweeter they will taste.
5. Pineapple is great for calming the digestive system and generally promotes good digestion. It helps relieve swelling and can prevent this problem in general. So if you have minor digestive issues, eating a serving of pineapple every day can help.
6. This delicious tropical fruit is full of vitamins and minerals. Just a few slices of pineapple have more than your required daily amount of vitamin C, which will keep your immune system working properly and make your skin look healthy and glowing. Pineapple is also rich in vitamin A, which supports healthy vision.
7. While vitamin C may be an obvious benefit of pineapple, not many people know that pineapples are also full of manganese, which is a mineral that helps keep bones strong and healthy. It can prevent osteoporosis and arthritis.
8. Have you ever seen a pineapple plant? This is how they grow. Isn’t it fascinating? What’s even more interesting is that pineapples produce the most beautiful flowers when they bloom, which can range from red to purple in color. And then they essentially produce little berries that are fused together around the core. So, technically, a pineapple is not a fruit, it’s a lot of little fruits fused together.
9. A little known fact is that pineapples do not ripen after being harvested. It’s not like an avocado that you can buy and then leave on your windowsill to ripen. The pineapples in the store are about as ripe as they are going to get. So pick a ripe one and eat it within a few days, because they’re really not meant to last more than 3 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge.
10. Many people will argue if pineapple belongs on pizza. Some think it’s a crime against pizza, others like the freshness and sweetness it adds to their pizza. But whatever field you’re in, you’ll be interested to know how pineapple became such a hotly debated pizza topping. The story is far more fascinating than you ever thought.
