In celebration of our favourite tropical fruit, here are 10 bite-sized facts you may not have known about the humble pineapple.
1 Pineapples used to be a major status symbol
While nowadays no one would blink an eye if they saw a pineapple in your fruit bowl, it was a different story in the 18th century. Due to their rarity, pineapples were not eaten. Instead they were used to decorate tables as a sign of wealth and status to visiting guests. You could even rent a pineapple for the evening – as by today’s standards, a single pineapple cost £5000!
2 Pineapples are technically berries
A member of the bromeliad plant family, the pineapple is technically not a single fruit but a cluster of ‘fruitlets’. When the pineapple plant flowers, each of the flowers produces a berry. The berries fuse together to create one big, juicy pineapple.
3 Pineapple and boats used to go hand-in-hand
Pineapples were quite the sailing necessity back in the day. Not only did they help prevent scurvy, the juice mixed with sand made quite the cleaning solution for decks and machete blades.
Pineapple is delicious in sweet and savoury dishes.
4 When you eat pineapple, it eats you
Don’t worry, this isn’t as horrifying as it sounds. Ever noticed your mouth feeling slightly tingly after sampling some pineapple? Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that digests proteins. So when you’re chewing on some pineapple, it’s technically eating you back. The upside of this is that once pineapple is swallowed, this enzyme helps aids digestion and has great anti-inflammatory properties.
It’s also what makes pineapple a delicious choice for tenderising meat – think of the classic combo of ham with pineapple slices.
5 Almost everyone else in the world calls pineapples ‘ananas’
We call them pineapples (after European explorers named them after their resemblance to pine cones) but the story is a bit different in other places around the world. As pineapples were originally cultivated by the Tupi people of South America (who called them ananas, meaning ‘excellent fruit’) this name has stuck around for many other languages.
The classic pork and pineapple combo is not only tasty, but scientific.
6 A pineapple maze is the biggest in the world
You can find the world’s largest permanent maze at the Dole Plantation in Hawaii. The Pineapple Garden Maze was declared the world’s biggest in 2008 and features two and half miles of paths set over three acres.
7 They have a surprisingly long life span
Pineapple plants can continue to fruit for up to 50 years!
8 The parts you don’t eat are actually useful
In pineapple canneries, the skin, core and ends of pineapple aren’t thrown away. They’re used to help create alcohol, vinegar and animal feed.
9 Pineapples can grow super-sized
The world’s largest pineapple weighed in at 8.2kgs and was grown by Christine McCallum, from Bakewell in Australia’s Northern Territory. The giant fruit measured 32cm long and had a girth of 66cm.
10 They take their time
It takes up to 18 months for a pineapple to mature before it’s harvested, which makes it a pretty special fruit.
Craving pineapple? You’ve got to try these incredible sweet chilli beef burgers with hoisin ketchup and chilli grilled pineapple.
Feature image via : 123rf.com
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