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| Pineapples |
7 Fun Facts About Pineapples.
This is a short post about a few things I discovered about Pineapple recently and I would like to share it.
1. Pineapples Are Unique
It is the only one in its family that is commercially important and edible. The rest are ornamental flowers. You might have seen one that looks oddly familiar. The first 3 images are examples of plants that belong to the pineapple family, and the last image is the pineapple flower.
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| Bromeliaceae plant family |
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| Bromeliaceae plant family |
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| Bromeliaceae plant family |
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| Pineapple Flower |
2. Pineapples Are Formed From 200 Or More Flowers
From biology we know, fruits are formed from flowers. Well, the Pineapple is no different except it's complicated. The fruits of 200 or more individual flowers fuse to form multiple fruits and these multiple fruits form the Pineapple we love.
3. The Fusion Of Fruits Gives A Fibonacci Number
I call Fibonacci "nature maths", it is nature's way of arranging biological stuff. I really can't explain it but if you watch a lot of movies or series you might have heard it once. You can check this link if you want to know more.
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| Spot the Fibonacci spiral? |
4. There Are False Pineapples
You know how Pineapple is the only edible one in its family, well there's an aspiring pineapple wannabe who definitely still doesn't have what it takes to be edible. They are called false pineapples
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| False Pineapple Plant |
5. Pineapple Juice Can Be Used To Tenderize Meats.
Bromelain, a protein extracted from pineapple can be used to tenderize meat, (idea when you want to cook goatmeat?). Bromelain is also believed to cause the itching feeling we experience when we eat pineapple
6. Pineapple Might Not Want Us To Eat It
Pineapple contains a protein called Bromelain and pin-like calcium oxalate crystals called Raphides. I mentioned above how Bromelain, a protein in pineapple causes an itching sensation when we eat it. Bromelain breaks down the proteins that are part of the mucus lining of the tongue and cheek allowing us to have that experience. Raphides are the pineapple protective mechanism for predators like smaller insects and it affects us by making holes or weakening the mucus lining of our tongue and cheeks for Bromelain to work.
7. Pineapple Leaves Are Used To Make Fabrics
The traditional wear of the Filipinos is made from pineapple leaves. Pina fiber as it is called is now gaining popularity. A kilo of pineapple leaves may provide up to 15-18 pieces of white, creamy, and lustrous as silk fiber about 60 cm long and it easily retains dyes. Read more here
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| Pina Fibers |
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| Pina cloth |