Have you ever cut open a fresh pineapple from the grocery store, took a bite, and then your lips and tongue start to tingle? Same! The beautiful and tasty pineapples or Ananas comosus is a tropical plant that is widespread across the world. Being a plant, it contains protein enzymes that help the overall breakdown of proteins into usable amino acids through chemical reactions. One of the enzymes that a pineapple contains in the stem and fruit is called bromelain. Bromelain is one of the reasons why eating pineapples makes your tongue tingle.
In an article, “Properties and Therapeutic Application of Bromelain: A Review” written by Ajay Kumar et al., they discuss the type of enzyme bromelain is, how it has been used, and how it can be extracted for other health related issues. They write that bromelain is considered a part of the enzyme group called protease. Proteases are protein digesting enzymes, and so they can break apart proteins found in the body and make it into utilizable parts. In this case, bromelain cuts protein chains at cysteine, an amino acid. Bromelain function doesn’t stop at just digesting proteins when eating pineapples. Studies have shown eating bromelain helps with blood pressure, arthritis, inhibiting cancerous cell growth and more. It is a little trickier to extract the enzyme because there is a lot it can do, and so the functions of bromelain must be first understood to get the full use of the enzyme for other health issues.
So, the tingly sensation a person feels after eating some fresh pineapple is due to the proteolytic activity of the bromelain enzyme. There is protein lining our mouths and tongues, such as receptors and so the enzyme is acting upon it and breaking it down. Kind of like a meat tenderizer. It also doesn’t help that the pineapple fruit over the world is acidic. So, there are a couple of factors as to why pineapples ‘do eat us’ but we should continue, despite the tingly sensation, to eat pineapples for the benefits that they offer to the overall well-being of humans.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/
Posted by: Kristina Baldeo (1)
Wow, usually, my cheeks tingle so I thought I was allergic or something! Its good to know that the pineapple contains such strong enzymes. I also thought your title was very clever!
ReplyDeleteHello, I had the same experience! I thought that I was allergic to pineapples because it was the only fruit (so far that I've tried) to cause this sensation. But, it's nice to know that it offers health benefits at a cost of that weird sensation.
DeleteThanks for commenting,
Kristina Baldeo
Your title is very clever and it was a good way to grab the attention of the reader. I think you did a great job telling a story rather than just throwing facts out at the reader; it made it a pleasant read.
ReplyDelete-Hannah K
Hi Hannah, I had a really fun time creating the tittle. I wanted to make this blog post fun and interesting to read because I know sometimes they can be a little dry.
DeleteThanks for commenting,
Kristina Baldeo
This post was interesting to read because of how relatable it is. I'm sure many people who have taken a bite out of a pineapple have shared the same tingling sensation that pineapples are notorious for. I know I am, and now I know that the bromelain enzyme is the culprit!
ReplyDelete-Morianna S
Hi Morianna, I thought this experience was very relatable!! Especially since the dining halls give fresh cut pineapples to eat. I wanted to write about something relatable as well. I'm glad you were informed of the reason behind the feeling.
DeleteThanks for commenting,
Kristina Baldeo
Hi Hannah, I had a really fun time creating the tittle. I wanted to make this blog post fun and interesting to read because I know sometimes they can be a little dry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting,
Kristina Baldeo
I loved the title, was drawn in instantly at first glance. The article was quite interesting too. I didn't know pineapples caused that because i don't eat pineapples unless on pizza. Thanks for the insight on it! Maybe I should eat it more
ReplyDelete-Selena Yim
I love your blog post! The title caught my eye right away, and the way you wrote it was super clear and organized. I think its fascinating that in a way pineapples "eat us" but I definitely will continue to eat pineapples because they are one of my favorite fruits!
ReplyDelete- Jess Ross
This is a very interesting and informative post! I like how this blog is organized and easy to read, making it possible to capture all the information. I thought it was really cool that although our tongues are being dissolved by bromelain, it is still considered very beneficial for our health.
ReplyDelete- David Miropolsky
Super cool! I'm learning about protease enzymes in my kinesiology class currently. I wonder if there's ways to break down this enzyme (like with heat or pH) so that pineapple doesn't tingle anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis article is particularly interesting in the sense that it mentions proteases which is a huge topic of discussion in my bio311 class. Having prior understood the anatomical and physiological workings of a protease, it is even more eye opening to see a specific type in action and being used in medicine.
ReplyDelete