What a sweet treat is ripe pineapple! Juicy fun with a tropical twist, it's no wonder it's such a popular fruit for snacking, desserts and refreshing drink recipes.

Where did Pineapple come from?

The origin of pineapple can be traced to Paraguay and southern Brazil then through South America, finally landing in the Caribbean. Good ole Columbus discovered it on his travels and brought it back to Europe. After that, the Spanish introduced it to Zimbabwe, Guam and the Philippines. In 1813 it was introduced to Hawaii and by 1892, the exportation of canned pineapple had begun.

What are the different types of Pineapple?

There are hundreds of pineapple varieties, the most popular one being Smooth Cayenne. Behind that, we have Red Spanish pineapples whose harder, more durable skin make it great for shipping, Sugar Loaf pineapples which are heavy and larger than other types and Golden Supreme, which are sweeter due to a lower acidic content.

Nutrition and Serving Suggestions:

Pineapple contains some healthy, nutritional goodies for your body. While rich in Vitamin C, it boasts being the fruit highest in the essential nutrient, manganese as well as having lovely digestive enzymes.

As far as storage and serving, you'll want to keep your pineapple out of the refrigerator and on the counter instead. Left to its own devices, it'll ripen further just from sitting around, though it can take a while and if you're not vigilant, pineapple can easily become over-ripe. One trick to help it ripen quicker is to sit it upside-down on the leafy end.

Interesting Pineapple Facts:

You can actually grow your very own! Just take a pineapple, twist the crown off, let it dry for 2-3 days and plant it. How fun is that? Also, the "trash" component of pineapple (the rind, core and ends) are used for making vinegar, animal feed and alcohol, so nothing goes to waste at the factory. As far as health interactions, pineapples should be avoided by hemophiliacs or those suffering from liver or kidney disease, as it can interfere with blood coagulation.