| Scientific name: | Ananas comosus |
| German name: | Ananas |
| Other names: | Ananas comosus, Hala Kahiki |
| Classification: | Poales |
| Family: | Bromeliaceae |
| Subfamily: | Bromelioideae |
| Genus: | Pineapple |
| Season: | March - September |
Pineapple is not only healthy, it also works externally. If you leave fresh pineapple juice on your skin for a while, you can lighten your sun and age spots and, with a little luck, even make them disappear completely. The industry makes use of this effect because some cosmetics contain anase enzymes that dissolve dead skin cells and give the skin a new, young complexion.
Fresh pineapple contains many important substances such as biotin, pro-vitamin A or beta-carotene, plenty of vitamin C, vitamin E and a number of other vital vitamins, which have a very positive effect on fever and colds and strengthen general well-being. It says "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", but one could also say "An pineapple a day makes the beautyness stay".
Quantity per 100 grams
| Calories | 50 |
| Fat content | 0,1 g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 109 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Roughage | 1,4 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 0,5 g |
The home of the pineapple is not known for sure, but it is probably in Paraguay. Christopher Columbus discovered the striking fruit in 1493 as the first European in Guadeloupe (Caribbean Islands). There it was translated by the locals "nana meant" and was called "delicious fruit". Columbus called the wild growing fruit "Pinon" because of its similarity to pine cone.
After Columbus brought the fruit to his homeland, the Spanish king Ferdinand called the pineapple the tastiest fruit in the world. Since the 17th century pineapples have been cultivated commercially in Africa, Indonesia, Australia, Guinea, Paraguay, Taiwan and the West Indies, but in Europe the cultivation of the yellowish, sweet fruit did not begin until 1865.
Thanks to its valuable enzymes, the low-calorie and easily digestible pineapple has a dehydrating, digestive, fat-reducing and metabolism-promoting effect and mobilises the body's own defences.
Its enzymes are also able to alleviate rheumatic complaints by flushing harmful substances out of the body. If you feel full after a rich meal, you can eat fresh pineapple pieces, as they stimulate natural digestion and the protein-splitting bromelaines act as an additional amount of stomach acid.
If toothache is caused by gingivitis, about 150g of pineapple meat can help. This only needs to be chewed calmly and slowly and repeated weekly.
The pineapple gets its current name in 1550, when a French Huggenotten priest mockingly twisted its original name (nana meant) and called it "Ananaz".
In the Scottish village of Airth, one can admire an architectural capriole that was modelled on a pineapple head. It is the extraordinary tower of a greenhouse, which is based on the pineapple fruit in an amusing and charming way.
Pineapple fruits must be fully ripe at the time of purchase, as they no longer ripen after harvesting. A good ripeness can be recognised by a pleasant scent at the base of the stem and by the distinctive scales on the outer skin (colour gradient from green to orange). In addition, the sword-shaped leaves should be very easy to remove from the stem.
Fresh pineapple cannot be processed together with gelatine, as the bromelaine contained in it prevents it from gelling. The vegetable agar agar, on the other hand, can be used as a substitute. However, the decomposing properties of bromelaine can also be useful. In meat preparation, for example, they help to make the meat more tender. This is probably also how the Hawaii Schnitzel was created.
The woody middle part of the pineapple can be eaten as it contains a lot of fibre and enzymes.
At a constant storage temperature of +15 degrees (e.g. in the cellar), ripe pineapples can be stored for a few days. If the temperature is too low, however, the fruit will quickly become stained and spoil shortly afterwards. You should therefore never store pineapples in the refrigerator, as they also quickly absorb the smell and taste of other foods.
Overripe fruits quickly lose their taste, but the peel can be used to make a very refreshing tea (this also applies to normally ripened fruits).