Monday, June 13, 2011

How to Select a Ripe, Delicious Pineapple: You May Be Surprised!

Many of us - myself included - think that the way to tell if a pineapple is ripe or not is to take a visual cue.  I remember often being disappointed when I would get my beautiful ripe-looking pineapple home, only to find it rotten!

The way to tell:  pull on the leaves at the top of the pineapple, if they release easily, the pineapple is ripe!  Then, take a visual cue - does the pineapple look brown, or are there little flies swarming around it?  That is an overripe pineapple!  Another helpful tip:  it should be heavy for it's size!  Store it at room temperature, but will spoil easily, so I recommend cutting it as soon as possible.  If you need to store it uncut, place it in an airtight plastic bag in the fridge for up to five days.

Pineapple fun fact:  Did you know that a pineapple takes about 18 months to grow and grows upside down out of the top/side of a 'bush'?  It's quite funny, a pic here:

 http://www.fao.org/inpho/content/compend/img/ch33/AE614e04.jpgHappy hunting!

Also, pineapples are high in an important enzyme called bromelain.  Bromelain helps in the digestion of protein.  It is also a very good source of vitamin C, as well as has been found to be a useful anti-inflammatory.  Watch out though, too much pineapple can leave your mouth a burnin'!

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