Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We're working to fix a technical issue causing problems with our broadcasts. We'll have it resolved as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Pineapple, The Tastiest Bromeliad

Flickr user, Anion (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Greg and Jon advise how to pick a ripe pineapple, why to stick to the fresh kind, and how you'll benefit from eating it.

Pineapple originated in an area between southern Brazil and Paraguay - it's one of the few edible fruits of the bromeliad family. Each fruit is actually a coalescence of many berries which can take well over two years to ripen. The fruit's supply of sugar comes from its stalk. Once the pineapple has been cut off the plant, it might become softer, but it won't get any riper. 

How do you pick out a ripe pineapple? First, make sure the fruit isn't refrigerated, because a cold pineapple won't reveal the aromatic clues you need. If it's at room temperature, sniff its stem end. If you smell a tropical, sweet, fruity aroma, it's ripe. Don't try to judge a pineapple by its outside color, the firmness of the fruit, or the looseness of its leaves. 

Pineapple contains a lot of vitamin C, as well as manganese, which is especially good for bone health. It's rich inbromelain, an anti-inflammatory which also aids in the digestion of proteins.

The Food Guys don't use canned pineapple. "Just eat the fresh fruit, even if you're making a pineapple upside-down cake. If you have fresh pineapple on the sugary syrup, you will never make it any other way." 

(Broadcast: "The Food Guys," 9/6/15 and 9/10/15. Listen weekly on the radio at 11:50 a.m. Sundays and again at 4:54 p.m. Thursdays, or via podcast.)

Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content