Pineapple originated in tropical South America in the area around southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. It was first domesticated there by the indigenous people as far back as 10,000 years. Spanish explorers there described it like a pinecone, but larger and sweeter and the best fruit they had ever eaten. Cultivation spread in the tropics through trading. Eventually the Dutch learned how to grow pineapple in indoor hot houses and this knowledge was brought to Virginia. Today, the world’s leading supplier of pineapple is Costa Rica, especially in the US and EU! Eaten raw, pineapple has an amazing array of health benefits. Even cooked, many of these benefits remain including important vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. However, fresh raw pineapple is a powerhouse of nutrition with almost 90% of daily value for vitamin C and 75% for manganese. Pineapple contains the unique phytonutrient bromelain that breaks down proteins, aids in digestion, and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, helping with pain and muscle recovery as well as disease prevention.
Peak Time: February to July
Average Price: $4.40 each
Tips for Selection and Storage: These are tips from Costa Rica! Look for a greenish-yellow pineapple – one that is mostly yellow but still has some green is best. Choose a firm pineapple, with a sweet fruity smell, not a soft one. The crown should look fresh and healthy, with firm, bright green leaves. Finally, pick up the pineapple by the bottom, smallest leaf of the crown (closest to the pineapple itself). If this little leaf can support the entire weight of the pineapple, that is the one! Hopefully there will be none to store, but you can cover half a pineapple with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The cut chunks should be stored in an non-metal airtight container and kept for a week. Never use aluminum foil or a metal container for pineapple since the pineapple acid can leach metal into the fruit. If the pineapple is still whole, it is best to store it in a cool dark place for 1 -2 days, but if not eaten immediately, it can be refrigerated for up to 6 days to delay over-ripening.
Tips for Preparation: Cut your pineapple the Costa Rican way. Place the pineapple sideways on a stable cutting board and using a sharpened chef knife, cut off the top. Turn it upside down and cut in half through the core. Cut these pieces in half lengthwise through the peel. Repeat, to get eight pieces. Cut the core off the top of each piece, but do not discard. Carefully slice off the peel at the bottom of each piece but do not discard. Cut these into slice pieces. Cut up the core into small pieces and mix into the sliced ones to serve of keep separate for those who actually like these fibrous, nutritionally dense bits. Save the pineapple peel for steeped tea. Fresh pineapple cannot be used with gelatin since bromelain breaks down proteins like collagen. Use canned pineapple for this.
Nutritional Highlights: Pineapple is an exceptionally nutritionally dense fruit with high amounts of vitamins C and B6, as well as manganese, copper, potassium and dietary fiber. Phytonutrients like bromelain and phenolic compounds add to the great number of health benefits. All of these are more concentrated in the core.
