How to choose honey-sweet, juicy pineapples just by looking at these 4 points
To choose honey-sweet, juicy pineapples, you only need to carefully observe the base, the top, as well as the skin to identify those that have absorbed enough sunlight. Pineapples ripen year-round but reach their peak sweetness and nutritional value typically during the summer. This fruit contains many precious nutrients such as vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, and phosphorus, which not only serve to quench thirst, beautify the skin, and eliminate toxins from the body, but also help strengthen immunity, provide anti-inflammatory benefits, and support digestion.
Pineapples are best when they reach a soft ripeness, with a sharp sweetness and a fragrant aroma. However, not everyone knows how to choose a delicious pineapple. If you don’t know how to choose, you might buy sour or bland ones.
To choose a delicious pineapple, you need to observe the following 4 characteristics:
Look at the color of the pineapple skin
How to choose a delicious pineapple: Observe the pineapple skin. (Photo: Sohu)
When choosing to buy pineapples, we often see three color states: deep yellow, green mixed with yellow (more green than yellow), and yellow mixed with green (more yellow than green). So, which color should we choose? Many people choose completely deep yellow pineapples thinking they are delicious ripe fruits, but that is not necessarily the case.
The reason some pineapples are completely deep yellow is that they have been left for too long and are overripe; their outer appearance does not differ much from normally ripe pineapples, but when you buy them and cut them open, you will see it. The pineapple flesh may be mushy or even black.
Green pineapples with a bit of yellow are usually not fully ripe; the skin is relatively hard. They are fine for stir-frying or cooking soup, but eating them directly will be less delicious, and eating too many can even cause stomach discomfort.
It is best to choose pineapples that have more yellow parts than green parts; they have a sweet taste and moderate crispness, not mushy.
Look at the pineapple leaves
One can choose delicious pineapples based on observing the leaves. (Photo: Sohu)
Only pineapples with sufficient light and nutrients will have long and dense leaves. This proves the pineapple will also be crisp and deeply sweet. Pineapples with short and sparse leaves indicate they did not receive enough light and did not absorb enough nutrients. These fruits will be less sweet, the aroma will not be prominent, and they may also have less juice.
Look at the base of the pineapple
The base of an old pineapple will look withered and have many dense black spots. (Photo: Sohu)
We can tell if a pineapple is fresh or not by looking at the base. Generally, fresh pineapples have no black spots at the bottom, and the surrounding leaves are relatively green. Usually, the base of an old pineapple will look withered and have many dense black spots. These black spots are very likely moldy, and the inner pulp might be rotten; we should avoid buying them.
Many people think if they buy a rotten pineapple, they can cut off this part and continue using it. However, when fruit is rotten, various microorganisms, especially fungi, will begin to reproduce massively. Their growth rate is very fast and these harmful substances will spread to the entire fruit, which can lead to vomiting and diarrhea.
Look at the pineapple eyes
How to choose a delicious pineapple. (Photo: Sohu)
The final point to observe when choosing a delicious pineapple is to see if the pineapple eyes are sparse or dense. If the eyes of the pineapple are very small and densely distributed, it means it did not receive enough light and the pineapple will be less sweet. Conversely, if the pineapple eyes are relatively large and sparsely distributed, it is a fruit that had enough light and nutrients. Such pineapples will be very sweet and fragrant; you can confidently buy them.
Notes when eating pineapple
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Should choose to buy fresh, whole pineapples that are not bruised.
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When peeling a pineapple, all the skin must be removed, and the eyes must be cut out deeply.
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Rinse the pineapple with salt water before eating.
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Should not eat fresh pineapple when hungry because it will affect the stomach and intestines, causing nausea, discomfort…
