5 More Things You May Not Know About Pineapples

What more can be said about the pineapple that we don’t all already know? Turns out, a lot. From its delicious taste to its amazing health benefits, the pineapple brings so much to the table to talk about. Below, we share 5 things that maybe you didn’t know about our tropical friend.

1. Pineapple eats your mouth. Sort of.

It is very common to experience a rough, scratchy feeling on your tongue and roof of your mouth when you are eating pineapple. The reason that happens is pineapples contain a plant protease enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is an approved anti-inflammatory treatment, but when it comes in to contact with sensitive skin around your mouth, it’s breaking down proteins, which is what causes that sensation in your mouth.

So is pineapple actually eating your mouth? If we were really getting technical and nerdy about it, then, yes, sort of. But nothing to freak out about.

2. The parts of the pineapple you don’t eat have actual value.

The skin, core and ends are all parts of the pineapple that you cut up and don’t eat. Those pieces are used to create alcohol, vinegar and animal feed. The core of the pineapple is also used in cooking broth, fish or chicken stock and the skin is used to make juice, paper and car fresheners.

3. Unripe pineapples can be poisonous.

Unlike other fruits, pineapples do not ripen properly after they are picked. Unripe pineapples may not only taste bad; they can also be toxic. Eating it would cause throat irritation and would have a strong laxative effect. The good news, though, is that most pineapples sold commercially are most likely to be, at a minimum, a little ripe - giving you nothing to worry about.

4. Pineapple juice mixed with sand makes quite the cleaning solution.

For this reason, pineapples have historically been very useful on long boat rides. If you mix the juice with sand, it’s great for cleaning boat decks, machete blades, or whatever else you’ve brought onboard to make yourself look like a badass. Oh, and back in the day pineapple was eaten to prevent scurvy.

5. It takes 2-3 years for a pineapple to reach maturation.

Think about that for a second. In about the same amount of time that it takes to finish half of high school or college, or to listen to grandpa’s story about “the way things used to be” a pineapple plant yields one pineapple. Just one. That’s a lot of time spent to create something tasty, healthy, and packed with Vitamin C.

Bonus Pineapple Fact: In the TV version of the classic movie, Scarface, the word “pineapple” is dubbed over some of Al Pacino’s profane dialogue.

You’ll have to wait until the next time this airs on TV to verify this fact, but trust me - it’s true.