Homemaking Homesteader

Fresh Pineapple

Why to eat, How to choose, How to cut ‘em up and eat ‘em!
By Crystal Miller

We love to buy fresh pineapples. The taste is so delicious especially when compared to canned pineapple. But I serve my family fresh pineapple for more reasons than just the fresh sweet taste. They are incredibly nutritious!

One of the best health benefits you will get from eating fresh pineapple is the enzyme bromelain. This is a power packed enzyme. If you are dealing with digestive issues then you may find adding fresh pineapple to your diet helps with this. Bromelain works by breaking down the amino acid bonds found in protein making them easier to digest. Just remember that your pineapple must be fresh in order to get this benefit. Bromelain is almost entirely destroyed during the canning process.

Bromelain also helps to reduce swelling and inflammation. If you have a bruise or a sprain you may want to increase the amount of fresh pineapple you eat to help ease the swelling.

Pineapples are also very high in vitamin C. Eating fresh pineapple can help build and repair body tissue and metabolize fats and cholesterol. Vitamin C can help if you have a cold or virus by increasing your body’s ability to fight the bad bacteria.

Now that you know why adding fresh pineapple to a diet is a good idea it is time to learn how to choose one, cut them up and use them!

Pineapple, unlike other fruits, does not get sweeter the longer it sits on your counter. This is due to the fact that natural starch/sugar in the fruit is only taken up into the fruit through the stem at the final stage of ripening while on the tree. So find them as ripe as you can in the store and eat them soon after bringing them home.

To choose pineapples begin by picking one up. It should give just a little bit. Smell it, it should have a nice pineapple smell. Now take a hold of one of the leaves at the top and pull. If it comes out with ease it is ready.

I thought it would be rather complicated to explain how to cut them up so I found this YouTube for you to watch. I viewed several YouTubes on how cut a pineapple and this man does it most similarly to the way we do it at our house. He also gives other good bits of info along the way.
 

I realize that most people won’t have a problem figuring out how to use a pineapple! Just eating them fresh is the way we do most often. However here is one idea for you. This makes a great breakfast, goes well with a simple lunch or mid-afternoon snack.

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

1 to 2 ripe bananas
¾ to 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks
¾ cup milk or yogurt
honey to sweeten, but this is optional as both bananas and fresh pineapple are VERY sweet as is

Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth. Enjoy!  

Pineapple

03:41, 2008-Jul-13 .. Posted by talindamood

Another good thing to know about the pineapple is that there is more bromelain concentrated in that center part, that most people cut out because it's woody. It's pretty tough on a regular blender, but a Vita Mix or other higher powered one can do it for smoothies. We also mix fresh strawberries with our pineapples and bananas in smoothies!

Like your blog:)

03:47, 2008-Jul-13 .. Posted by Anonymous

I like your blog and all of the step by step pics of recipes. We like hearing about your daughter's experience with CollegePlus, since we may go that route soon. Your efforts for this blog are appreciated!
Anna

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04:29, 2008-Jul-13 .. Posted by Citygal

Yummmm - makes my mouth water just watching that guy cut up the pineapple. When I was in YWAM in Hawaii for 4 months once, I was given the job of cutting up the pineapples for breakfast every day - and that is exactly the way they taught me then, and I still use that method. Great video!
Rachel from NZ

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05:46, 2008-Jul-13 .. Posted by Deblyn

Crystal,

We love pineapple here! If we don't have fresh pineapple, sometimes I will use the pineapple juice in a fruit smoothie made with frozen berries. The bromelein helps with the inflammation I get in my knees from arthritis!

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08:10, 2008-Jul-13 .. Posted by Katfuzzwwec

I love the fresh pineapple to. Easier to cut up than I thought. I use an electric knife to cut mine up.

And thanks for the smoothie recipe. I will be having gum surgery this week and will not be able to chew at all for several days up to a week (with stiches and putty covering my teeth on that side). If you have more smoothie recipes I would be thrilled to see those posted to...I have more surgeries to come.

Have a great day, and thank you I love reading your blog Icheck in everyday to see if you've posted anything.

Hugs, Kat

Pineapple

10:12, 2008-Jul-17 .. Posted by Julie

Hi Crystal,

Just wanted to share a little tip we got from the locals in Hawaii. The day before you cut up your pineapple, slice the crown off and set it on a saucer, cut side down. Doing so will allow the sugars to redistribute throughout the fruit that have settled to the bottom, giving a more consistent sweetness throughout the whole pineapple. I tried it and it really does seem to work.