Introduction to pineapple
Pineapple also known as ‘ananas comosus’ belongs to Bromelianceae family. It is a composite fruit made of coalesced berries which grows at the crown of a fruiting tree or through sucker, perhaps the most economically significant plant in the family.
For centuries, the fruit have not only been celebrated for its unique taste but also for its miraculous health and medicinal benefits. The health and medicinal benefits of pineapple are enormous which includes aiding digestion, strengthening bones, boosting immune and respiratory system.
It also helps in accelerating weight loss, curing colds and coughs, just to mention but few among others.
The fruit originally called ananas is native to Paraguay, Brazil, and some parts of the Caribbean. Its local popularity gained international dimension when European explorers encountered the tropical fruits and fell in love. It was later referenced in 1664 as “pineapples” for resemblance to pine cones.
The exact evolution of pineapple as a popular global fruit may not be known; however, it is believed that pineapple was first brought to Europe following Christopher Columbus’s return in 1493 through which it subsequently spread to other countries of the world.