Pineapple originated from southern Brazil and Paraguay. It was raised by the Indians of South and Central America, in their western areas before the arrival of Columbus. In 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Guadalupe and brought the fruit to Spain, from where it is spread around the world through the ships that carried it for protection against scurvy. Spanish pineapple spread to the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii in the early 16th century. The pineapple reached England in 1660 and began to be grown in fruit greenhouses around 1720
Pineapple is a tropical or near-tropical plant, but usually can last in down to 28° Fahrenheit. Prolonged cold weather leads to stunting, delayed maturity of the fruit and causes them to be more acidic. Pineapples are drought tolerant, and bear fruit with annual rainfall ranging from 25 to 150 inches depending on variety, location, and degree of humidity. They are raised in South Florida and coastal areas of Southern California.
Pineapple is a perennial plant with a height of 70 cm to almost 2 meters and a width of 50 cm. Pineapple tree is with a short, strong stem and a rosette of glossy, narrow and sharp leaves. During flowering, the stalks extend and expand near the top by developing small purple or red flowers. The flowers are pollinated by passerine birds and develop small, hard seeds.
Pineapple has an oval to cylindrical shape, which is a combination of very small fruits in one. They are both juicy and fleshy with a thick fiber core. The stringy skin of the pineapple can be dark green, yellow, orange-yellow or reddish when the fruit is ripe. Interior color varies from almost white to yellow. The size of the fruit is 12 inches long and weight is 1 to 10 pounds or more.
Composition of pineapple
Pineapple is a fruit that has exceptional taste. In a ripe pineapple, the quantity of water is approximately 86%, organic acids reach 1.2% and nitrogen compounds and minerals are about 1%. Pineapple is very rich in B group vitamins, as well as A and C. Pineapple contains a lot of potassium, iron, calcium and iodine.
It has no cholesterol and fat, and their content of sodium is very low. 100 g pineapple contains only 50 calories. It’s rich in very soluble and insoluble fiber, which is beneficial for the digestive system and colon.
Growing Pineapples
Pineapple needs to be planted in places where the temperature remains high. The best soil for the pineapple is a friable, well-drained, sandy soil with high organic content. The plant is surprisingly drought tolerant, but adequate soil moisture is necessary to produce good products. Nitrogen is essential for increasing the amount of fruits and should be added every four months.
It is difficult to say when the pineapple is ready for picking. Some people judge their ripeness and quality by clicking a finger on the side of the fruit. A good, ripe one makes a dull, solid sound. Immaturity and poor quality are indicated with a hollow sound.
Selection and storage of pineapples
During the purchase of Pineapple, know that the more relief the skin has, the more the fruit is aromatic and delicious. Nice ripe pineapple is slightly reddish.
Pineapple is a delicious, but fragile fruit. It can not be stored for more than two weeks at room temperature. At temperatures of below 5 degrees brown spots began to form in its flesh and it gradually loses its taste qualities. Pineapple that is put in the fridge does lose its flavor. The fruit can be frozen. Do not put other fruits near the pineapple because they significantly cut its expiration time.
Pineapple in cooking
To peel a pineapple rind, you need a very sharp knife for fruit. Put it in a pan to collect its juices and peel the pineapple carefully. Peel the thick skin, so as not to retain any trace of it. Cut the pineapple into pieces, but you must remove its center.
Pineapple is a very delicious fruit that is mainly consumed fresh. It is suitable for sweet dishes and salads and local dishes and dishes with fish. Pineapple combined with fruits like apple, kiwi, banana and strawberry makes a wonderful and delicious fruit salad. However, remember that pineapple, like kiwi contains an enzyme that degrades gelatin and makes the salad very soft.
Grilled slices of pineapple, sprinkled with brown sugar are the perfect healthy dessert. Canned pineapples are delicious, but unfortunately not as good as fresh fruit. Dried pineapple is an ideal supplement to cereal.
Pineapple is used in addition to a number of Chinese dishes because the strong scent it offers softens spices. Pineapple combined with ginger and peach is a delicious culinary surprise.
Mix pineapple and peppers, which makes salsa sauce - a unique addition to salmon and tuna. Maple syrup placed on a piece of pineapple is delicious addition to grilled meats. Sliced pineapple with fennel and cashews is the perfect addition to chicken.
One of the most delicious juices is precisely natural pineapple juice. In addition to fruit juices, pineapple is used as an additive in many alcoholic cocktails.
Benefits of pineapple
Several slices of pineapple for dessert are sufficient to improve the metabolism in your body. In this case pineapple cleanse the blood and boosts the immune system. According to some scholars, it appears as a prophylactic agent against cancer.
Pineapple contains many minerals, including manganese, which activates the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. Therefore used in many diets.
Canned pineapple is sweet in taste, but in canning its useful enzyme is destroyed and they usually contain sugar.
Pineapple has a positive impact on the functioning of the pancreas and is useful for venous thrombosis and edema. Half a cup of fruit or juice of pineapple a day is enough to get rid of these problems.
It is believed that the fiber in pineapple is useful in the fight against bad cholesterol. Studies have shown that regular consumption of delicious fruit is useful in arthritis. The flavonoids in pineapple protect against lung cancer and other dangerous cancers. The vitamin A contained in pineapple is known for its beneficial effect on vision and eye health.
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