NUTTY ABOUT NATURE

 “A Pineapple A Day…etc.” ….. PINEAPPLES part 1

The strange and beautiful Pineapple …… it’s not a Pine and it’s not an apple, so how did it get its name? Well, when good, old Christopher Columbus and his crew first came upon this odd fruit while exploring the Caribbean, they noticed that the exterior had a similar texture to that of pine cones. Upon further inspection and obviously some brave-hearted taste-testing, the pineapple’s yellow and sweet interior was likened to that of an apple. (Not any apple that I’ve ever tasted, but that’s the story and I’m sticking with it.)

Now over the years, the Pineapple has had some wild and over- the- top healing properties attributed to it. While a concoction of pineapple juice, salt, pepper and honey has been a home remedy for sore throats going back decades, it is not a magic elixir as some recent articles are claiming.

However, that being said, pineapples are a beneficial food to add to your diet.. They contain certain chemicals that interfere with the growth of tumors (always a good thing in my book !). They also contain an enzyme, bromelain, that aids in digestion and is an anti-inflammatory.

In fact, according to Snopes in a 2015 article, “Pineapple won’t cure your cough, but bromelain works as a nifty meat tenderizer, which is why your mouth prickles when you eat it — it’s breaking down the collagen bonds on your tongue and in your cheeks.”

Pineapple accessories for the home are available in all sorts of colors….not just the tradition yellow and green. Although you may never come across a blue and purple Pineapple, the actual fruit does come in many color variations. Apparently, the color is dependent on the climate and the soil where the fruit is grown !

Sadly the Pineapple plant, which takes 3 years to mature, will only produce a single fruit. Luckily, however, it sends out shoots that will root and grow into other Pineapple plants. In addition, you can start your own plant by cutting off the spiky top of the fruit and planting it in the soil. Yay !

If you are a gardener extraordinaire, you may just see an entire field filled with beaucoup spikey fruit delights.

If you are not, well maybe one will grow…..you will marvel at the sight….and it will get lopped off by an errant lawn mower. (Not saying who was driving it, but it was not I)

Next time, we will learn a bit of pineapple history and see how this unusual looking fruit has worked its way into our hearts and homes.

Till next time, BB