It's More Than Just a Home to SpongeBob

PINEAPPLE 

So, here is one fruit that had to grow on me. I just bought my very FIRST fresh pineapple this year as a matter of fact...(I am soon to be 28) I was just always intimidated by the look of it, I mean this thing could hurt me, plus what would I do with it when I got it home? How do cut it? What part/parts can you eat? And most frightening, I figured it would taste as terrible as all pineapple flavored candies I ever tried and spit out as a child...silly thinking.

The first thing that turned me on to trying fresh pineapple was after reading of the benefits. At the time I was having terrible muscle tension in my neck and shoulders. To add to that, I have always had problems with heartburn and stomach pain associated with ulcers. One day studying for a nutrition course, I read about the benefits of pineapple.

One of the biggest benefits is that this fruit is rich in bromelain. Fresh pineapple contains this beneficial enzyme that is helpful in digestion as well as reducing inflammation and swelling. People suffering from arthritis, sinusitis, gout, or any other inflammatory conditions have proven results of reduced swelling with the addition of bromelain. To get the anti-inflammatory benefits it is important to eat fresh pineapple as snacks in between meals otherwise the enzymes will be used to aid in digestion rather than reducing inflammation.

So, I decided to buy my first pineapple....

It was beautiful! I didn't even want to attempt to go at it with a knife, but I finally broke down. For those who have never cut a fresh pineapple, it is easier than it appears. Just cut off the top, pretty part, and then the bottom/stem. Then, with the base on a cutting board, you can peel the fruit with a sharp knife being careful not to cut yourself! (This is very important when you have the klutz gene, as I do) I found it easiest to cut chunks off around the core, but if you desire pineapple slices you would have to cut it differently.

I then used the chunks as a tasty addition to vanilla yogurt. YUMMY! But, as I did not learn until later, the way to get anti-inflammatory benefits for my neck and shoulder was to eat it alone. On the other hand, after eating this as my snack for a few days, no need for those nasty "fruit" flavored antacids!

I have also begun freezing leftover pineapple, it is a wonderful addition to smoothies. When only feeding two people in our home I find it hard to eat all of the fresh produce we buy, so a lot of it I have learned to store in the freezer for a later use.