Pineapples: A Sweet Dose of Vitamin C

In the plant world, it’s hard to beat a whole fresh pineapple for drama.

This fruit of a bromeliad has ferocious leaves and an absolutely prehistoric-looking outer skin. The first person who wanted to see if this thing was edible must have had a wonderful surprise upon opening it. Pineapples originated in South America and spread to the Caribbean, where Columbus found them during a voyage in 1493. The Spaniards thought they looked like pine cones, and thus the name. European explorers then carried pineapples to China and the Philippines.

In the 1800s they were introduced to the Hawaiian islands, where they are now the principal crop. Today, Florida and Mexico are also among the major players in the pineapple market.

Nutritionally pineapple is richest in vitamin C, thiamin and manganese. A cup of pineapple chunks has 76 calories and more than 25% of the RDA for vitamin C.

Pineapple juice, which is very concentrated and almost cloyingly sweet, has about 130 calories per cup and will give you 50% of your daily vitamin C requirements. Even though you can get fresh pineapple year-round, the peak of the season runs from March through June.

Like melons, pineapples don’t get any sweeter after harvest, even though they will get softer and riper if left at room temperature for a day or two.

Selecting the perfect pineapple has been the subject of myths. It doesn’t help to look at the color, or to thump it, or to pull one of the leaves to see how easily it comes out.

The most reliable method for selecting the best-tasting pineapple is to look for a tag or a label that indicates the fruit was jet-shipped from the grower. Of course, these tend to be more expensive.

Pineapples that have come by boat or truck from Latin or Central America are often picked when still green, and they may be tough and not very sweet.

The size of the pineapple doesn’t affect the taste much, but the larger the pineapple, the more edible flesh there will be. It should feel heavy for its size, the leaves should be green, and it shouldn’t be covered with bruises or soft spots. A good pineapple will smell like the tropics.

Pineapples, like papayas, contain an enzyme that digests protein. This is both good and bad news. The good is that by marinating meat or poultry with fresh pineapple, you can tenderize and flavor it.

However, you can’t use fresh pineapple in gelatin molds because they will never get hard. You also don’t want to mix fresh pineapple with yogurt until just before you serve it because the enzyme (bromelain) will change the flavor and consistency. Once pineapple has been heated, the enzyme is deactivated, so canned pineapple will not have the same effect.

Because preparing fresh pineapple can be labor-intensive, many opt to buy the fruit in a can or jar. But fresh pineapple is so much sweeter-tasting that it’s well worth the effort. Using a sharp knife, start by cutting off the crown of leaves. Then slice downward just under the skin, being careful to follow the round shape of the fruit so you don’t lose a lot of it. Do this all the way around until the skin is off. Cut it in half, remove the core and slice the remaining fruit into cubes. Save the top for decorating a tray of fresh fruit.

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Dr. Sheldon Margen is a professor of public health at UC Berkeley; Dale A. Ogar is managing editor of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter. Send questions to Dale Ogar, School of Public Health, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, or e-mail to daogar@wellnessletter.com. Eating Smart appears occasionally in Health.