Pineapple is a tropical plant whose debate is still being debated. But no one can argue with the fact that it contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. And people's love for pineapple is simply unlimited, this can be judged by the amount of product imported from abroad.
Where does pineapple come from?
It is believed that pineapple comes from sunny Brazil, as its wild thickets still grow on its open spaces. Juicy fruits were widely known after the journey of Christopher Columbus, who discovered them in Central America on the island of Guadeloupe. It happened in the year 1493. Since then, pineapple continues its solemn procession in all European countries.
A rare fruit was brought in unusual conditions for it and, oddly enough, bred in greenhouses. Indoors, pineapple was grown for serving at the royal and imperial tables. There is information that in the XVIII - XIX centuries, plants were grown in cold snowy Russia to meet the needs of the yard. Each fruit was worth its weight in gold.
Now pineapples are bred and cultivated in regions with a tropical and subtropical climate, such as Australia, North Africa, Hawaii and many others. Thanks to the excellent transport links, the fruits come to the table of buyers in abundance.
What does pineapple look like?
Not everyone knows that pineapple is a perennial herb. Its growth reaches one meter, while the leaves have a length of 80-90 centimeters. They have spines at the edges, which is an obstacle to manual harvesting.
The fruit is an inflorescence of a large number of small berries. The color of pineapple is yellow or slightly brownish, at the time of flowering and depending on the variety, it can reach purple. The weight of the fetus can reach fifteen kilograms, and the smallest has only eight hundred grams. The plantations grow the five most common and productive varieties.
Breeders brought out the appearance of a pineapple with a smooth peel, which is very easy to clean. The sizes of the fruits of this variety are not very large, and the weight is 800 grams.
Pineapple - vegetable, fruit or berry?
Until now, since the discovery of the plant by Columbus, people have not stopped arguing about what pineapple is. There are versions that this plant is cereal, since the structure of the stem resembles the usual cultures of this species. A group of people claim that pineapple is a vegetable. As evidence, the argument is made that it grows on earth.
Indeed, it is interesting to know if pineapple is a berry or a fruit? There is reasonable evidence for each version. At the time of growth and ripening, pineapple is a lot of small berries collected in one inflorescence. When the plant ripens, they turn into one large fruit, reaching five kilograms. However, the question of whether pineapple is a berry or a fruit does not disappear. After all, he has no bones. Hence, many conclude that the fruit can be a fruit.
In all disputes on the topic, pineapple is a berry or fruit, one thing remains unchanged, the plant is really unique. It does not cease to amaze everyone with new properties discovered by scientists.
What does pineapple consist of?
Pineapple is not just a tasty treat for children and adults. It has a lot of useful properties that are hidden in its composition. Juicy fruit consists of 86 percent water, 15 of sucrose. It consists of 0.7 percent citric and 50 percent ascorbic acid. All the most valuable vitamins, such as B1, B2, 12, PP and provitamin A, are abundant in every fetus.
In addition to the above components, pineapple contains many useful chemical elements. The pulp of the fetus is replete with iron and potassium, which are necessary for high-quality heart function. And copper, zinc, calcium, manganese and iodine contribute to the overall strengthening and improvement of the body. This plant is a storehouse of vigor and health.
Pineapple treatment
All the components of the pineapple fruit are necessary for the organic work of the human body, so it must be included in the diet of constant nutrition for both children and adults. In addition, using it in certain cases, you can avoid unpleasant pain.
For the digestive system to work properly, you need to drink one glass of pineapple juice with meals. This effective tool is especially useful in case of heavy consumption of meat and fatty foods, which, under the influence of enzymes that make up the fetus, are digested faster. This helps to avoid indigestion.
Pineapple in Dietetics
Pineapple is a great diet dish. It can be used without restriction to everyone who wants to lose weight. The calorie content of fresh pineapple is only 48 kilocalories per hundred grams of product. Calcium contained in the pulp of the fetus helps to remove excess fluid and get rid of extra pounds. Eating pineapple dessert, you can continue to lose weight, because when it is consumed, digestion is established. The calorie content of fresh pineapple is a godsend for modern nutrition.
In Russia, from the 18th century, exotic overseas fruit was eaten not only fresh, but also fermented in tubs for the winter, like cabbage. At the same time, the dish was considered delicious and piquant.
How to grow pineapple at home?
Producers and planters of southern countries can grow pineapples in the open ground, which they have been doing for centuries for the delight of customers. In a temperate climate, this is much more difficult, but there is nothing real if you want.
Pineapple can be grown in a city apartment, creating suitable conditions for it. Since the fruit does not have seeds, it is planted in the form of a rosette or a cut of the top without pulp. This part of the fruit is placed in a pot filled with earth and charcoal. As the top layer, you can use humus mixed with sand.
In order for the plant to take root, it must be kept warm at a temperature of 27 degrees, while covering it with polyethylene. So in a humid warm environment, the sprout should be two months. After that it is permissible to open it. Appeared the first lower processes must be prikopat.
Pineapple is watered with an acidic aqueous solution with lemon juice. It is necessary to transplant the plant every year in large-sized pots, while not forgetting to fertilize. With proper care, the fruits can be obtained four years after planting.
How to determine the ripeness of the fetus?
Ripe pineapple is very tasty, juicy and aromatic, with various beneficial properties. But it is necessary to acquire and eat exactly the ripened fruits. The green fruit does not have the qualities that are needed.
First of all, unripe pineapple is very sour, it will be difficult to eat, and later cracks can form in the corners of the lips and mouth. This causes unpleasant pain.
Secondly, diarrhea can start from eating unripe pineapple, which will lead to dehydration.
To the question of how to choose a delicious pineapple, you can answer the following: you need to pay attention to the upper feathers. If they are easily pulled out, then the fetus is ready for use.
Buying Pineapple
In order to get a truly high-quality tropical fruit, you need to know how to choose pineapple in the store. The following rules will help:
- An intact pineapple does not have a characteristic odor if it is carried from the nose to an arm's length. Otherwise, sellers obviously took advantage of flavorings. And if you sniff the fruit, bringing it to your face and not feel the delicate aroma, it means that it is a stale product that has undergone “water procedures”. It was simply washed to remove mold and an unpleasant odor.
- When buying, you need to inspect the pineapple well so as not to acquire a moldy product. It is dangerous to eat.
- The color of the ripe and tasty fruit should be yellow with a grayish tint without any green spots. Greens indicate an unripe fruit, and it is better to avoid eating it.
- Flakes should be resilient. The soft fruit may be rotten inside, which will spoil the mood of the buyer, given the high cost of the goods.
- The tips of the scales of a ripe pineapple are usually dry, otherwise we can conclude that the storage conditions were not met, and this leads to damage to the fetus.
- The tail of the ripened pineapple should sit loose and scroll. In this case, you can be sure of the ripeness of the product.
Knowing these subtleties, one can question how to choose a pineapple in a store, take it off the agenda and boldly go shopping. But it must be borne in mind that throwing this exotic product out is not very profitable, so sellers often go for various tricks.
Canned pineapple
A compote of exotic fruits is considered a very popular treat among children. Canned pineapples are sold in cans of various sizes.
When buying such a product, it is necessary to pay attention first of all to the shelf life of the product, it should not exceed permissible norms. Typically, this kind of information can be found on the cover.
You won’t get a peek inside, so you need to inspect the can from the outside. Dents and damage indicate poor transport. In this case, the product contained in the packaging could be depressurized and become hazardous to health.
Swollen cans indicate a violation during preparation and storage. Most likely, the contents will be acidic and fermented, that is, unfit for food. When buying canned pineapples, you need to be very careful not to harm your health.
Pineapple Cooking
Since pineapple is a very healthy and tasty product, it is an ingredient in many spicy and unusual dishes. Fruit-based culinary delights are quite diverse. It is part of salads, desserts and main dishes.
Pineapple recipes can be found in cookbooks. Hostesses are offered a tasty and fragrant hot dish. It is called "Pineapple Stuffed Chicken."
To prepare it, you will need one large fruit, chicken fillet, cheese and seasonings.
Pineapple must be cut lengthwise and the pulp must be cleaned from it. Chopped chicken meat is fried in vegetable oil with the addition of salt and hazel. Before removing from heat in a pan, put slices of pineapple and simmer for three minutes. Grate hard cheese.
Fill in the pineapple baskets and sprinkle with cheese. Then this culinary preparation is set on a baking sheet and baked for 15 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees. It is better to eat the dish hot.
Pineapple recipes are very popular among children. For small gourmets, you can prepare a fruit salad. You can put banana, kiwi, apple, seedless grapes and mandarin in it. All fruits and berries are crushed, including pineapple, and mixed. Products are best taken in equal proportions. The resulting mixture is poured with yogurt, mixed and laid out in portions. The dish is being prepared quickly and the children really like it.
Pineapple is a wonderful product that not only evokes pleasant emotions from consumption, but also produces a healing effect. This exotic fruit should be included in the diet of every person, as it will help to avoid many health problems.