Surprising Benefits of a Pineapple Core
One way to enjoy pineapple that doesn’t typically come up is how to eat the core. Some people have even been misled to avoid the core altogether! Well, we’re here to clear up this common misconception once and for all. It’s official: the pineapple core is edible.
There is no debate that pineapples are a delicious and healthy treat. It’s so popular that the average American eats over seven pounds of this tropical fruit per year. However, there is plenty of disagreement about the best way to eat pineapple. We’re no strangers to this good-natured debate here at Chestnut Hill Farms. Heck, we’re eating our Perfect Pineapples fresh, having them for breakfast, topping off a salad, blending them in a smoothie, charring them on the grill, and even juicing them for seasonal beverages. Now, let’s get the most out of every part of the pineapple.
Core Benefits
It’s no secret there is a myriad of health benefits from pineapple. That sweet fruit is filled with nutrients, antioxidants, and other helpful compounds that can help protect against inflammation and disease. Pineapple juice can even boost your protection against the common cold.
People avoid eating the core because it is much denser and tougher than the rest of the fruit. But, every time you core a pineapple and throw away the middle, you’re just tossing away vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Because the core is denser, there’s actually more good stuff packed into a smaller area than the rest of the pineapple.
What exactly are these core benefits that we keep banging on about?
Vitamins and Nutrients in the Core
For starters, the core is a great way to receive more fiber in your diet. Fiber is essential for lowering cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar, and digestive health.
The core also contains plenty of bromelain. Frequent readers of our blog will be unsurprised to hear bromelain is a super nutrient. Bromelain are enzymes in pineapple that have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties that help with pain reduction and swelling.
There is a high amount of vitamin C found in the pineapple core, as well. Vitamin C helps boost immunity, create collagen, and aids in the absorption of iron aka eating pineapple makes your skin soft and beautiful. Don’t believe us? Just ask the National Institutes of Health. They’ll back us up.
Preparing a Pineapple Core
Now that you’ve learned all about the nutritious benefits of a pineapple core, you probably can’t wait to get your hands on one. Let’s discuss the best way to prepare it for consumption—remember, the core is a bit tougher than the rest of the pineapple flesh. You won’t be able to take a bite out of it like an apple or banana.
The first step towards enjoying the pineapple core is by removing it. You can remove the core by either slicing the pineapple with a sharp knife or investing in a pineapple corer. If you’re going to enjoy pineapple more than once—and honestly, after reading this blog you’ll probably want to have it every day—we highly recommend investing in a pineapple corer. They cost less than $10 at the supermarket and don’t take up much space in your kitchen drawer. But, whichever way you prefer will get the job done.
Once the core is removed, you are ready to prepare. You can eat the pineapple core freshly sliced, but we would recommend making the core easier to eat by boiling it in water or running it through a food processor. The ways to enjoy pineapple core are truly only limited by your imagination. We would recommend creating a pineapple purée topping or grating the core over a salad. You can also create syrup from the core to use in all kinds of dishes, and drinks.
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