Pineapple is an exotic, low-calorie fruit loved by many people. Some of them do not know how to choose and store pineapple. What to follow when shopping for edible pineapple fruit? Let’s check!
What health benefits are associated with regular eating of pineapple? This popular fruit, whose home country is Brazil, is a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C and minerals – calcium, manganese, potassium and magnesium. Despite its sweet taste, it is a low-calorie fruit – 100 g of fresh pineapple contains about 50 kilocalories. However, tinned pineapple is a real calorie bomb and due to thermal processing, is deprived of many valuable values.An important component of the exotic fruit is also an enzyme called bromelain, which supports the digestive system, facilitating protein digestion. This is not the end of the advantages. Pineapple strengthens bones, has anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties
To be able to enjoy the delicious taste of pineapple, first buy a fully ripe specimen. Contrary to appearances, this is not as simple and obvious as when buying other fruits. How to recognize and choose a ripe pineapple? Here is what you should pay attention to:
When shopping at your local grocer or market, pay attention to the leaves – the ideal time to eat the fruit is when they turn a vibrant green or greenish-yellow shade. Of course, color is not the only factor to consider. It is worth trying to pull out the smallest leaf – if it comes out easily, we can confidently put the pineapple in the shopping cart
An effective and simple way to check whether the pineapple is ready to eat, may be to smell the fruit. If at the base of the pineapple there is an intense, sweet scent, it is fully ripe. If there is no smell at the base of the pineapple, it probably needs to “rest”. On the other hand, a pungent smell indicates that the fruit is overripe.
An important clue in assessing the degree of maturity of the pineapple should be for us its texture. A mature pineapple is characterized by a hard shell, but is slightly soft when squeezed. A very hard fruit, on the other hand, is probably not ripe enough. What else to keep in mind? Carefully inspect the food product on all sides to make sure it does not contain mold
People who often buy pineapples believe that the heavier the fruit, the juicier and riper it is. Therefore, it is advisable to choose in the store those fruits that weigh more than others.
Now that we know why you should eat pineapples and how to recognize ripe fruit, it is worth presenting the basic rules for storing this type of product. Pineapple, like most exotic fruits, does not tolerate low temperatures well, so we should not store it whole in the refrigerator. Optimal will be the room temperature – then it will remain fresh the longest. Many pineapple fans wonder how long you can keep them in the kitchen. The optimal time is 5-7 days, during which the fruit should be consumed (remembering to remove the fibrous center)fibrous center). In the case of sliced pineapple, which dries out quite quickly, you should eat its pieces within 2-3 days (storing them in the refrigerator, preferably in a glass container or covered with cling film on top). Is it possible to freeze pineapple? This is not a good idea, because when thawed it will not have the original texture and juicy flesh.
In conclusion, regular consumption of pineapple maintains good health and is a great variety in the diet of adults and children. We hope that with our tips you will be able to buy a ripe and delicious pineapple to use as a base for juice or fruit salad. Pineapple is also perfect as an addition to cakes and pies.
