A sweet-talk about the pineapple
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
It’s important to stay curious, ask questions, and always learn something new; so, let’s take a closer look at a common household item—something fresh, sweet, and fruity. It’s time for “Fascinating Fruit Facts!” And this week we’re looking at the pineapple, otherwise known by its scientific name Ananas comosus!
Ah yes, the succulent golden tropical pineapple we all know and love. Due to its historical rareness, it is a symbol of hospitality. What might be unknown about the pineapple is that it actually is a group of fruits. Technically speaking, pineapple is a collection of fruiting flowers that are connected to a central stem, making the pineapple a “multiple fruit.”
Another way cool fact about pineapples is their ability to regenerate! You can cut the top off a pineapple and grow a whole new plant. Only one pineapple will grow from a pineapple plant at a time, and very slowly; growing tops takes nearly 3 years for full maturation. A faster growing method involves the slip, a tiny plantlet that grows on some varieties of pineapples at the base of the fruit. The iconic golden fruit contains an enzyme called bromeliad. This enzyme mixture can break down proteins, so pineapples are often used as a meat tenderizer. This is also the reason why everything tingles and burns when eating pineapple; the bromeliad enzyme is trying to break down the proteins of your mouth. How neat! Pineapple is also known to ripen faster upside down. A lesser known “fact” is that you can attract swinger couples by placing an upside-down pineapple in your grocery cart while walking around the supermarket.
SpongeBob SquarePants, beloved star from Bikini Bottom lives in a giant pineapple—they truly do make great houses. And even Jack-o-Lanterns! Pineapples have also are chalk-full of Vitamin C, thiamine, and manganese content, which promotes happy hormones in the brain and helps with sexual health—especially in men. Maybe that’s why SpongeBob is so irresistible. This has been Fascinating Fruit Facts—tune in next time to find out which fruit we’ll be chatting about next!
