You Should Be Washing Your Pineapple with SALT—Here's Why (2024)

Salty and sweet were made for each other.

You Should Be Washing Your Pineapple with SALT—Here's Why (1)Via @metemgeeblog/Tiktok.com (3)

We’ve all got our favorites when it comes to fruits and veggies. I’ve always been a massive fan of pineapple. That’s why summer truly is the perfect season for my palate! Pineapple upside-down cake and pineapple sheet cake are just a few of my go-to recipes, but sometimes I just like to enjoy it as-is. To me, nothing tastes better after a long, hot day than fresh, juicy pineapple.

So color me interested when I heard about soaking pineapple in salt water, a hack that I definitely had to learn.

Why Should You Wash Pineapple in Salt Water?

Pineapple, along with its many health benefits, has an incredibly distinct taste. Some stay away while others (like me) can’t get enough. The physical effects—a tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth and throat—are a big reason people prefer not to eat this golden fruit. They’re caused by bromelain, a protein in pineapple that breaks down other proteins while it’s active. If the flavor isn’t doing it for you, that odd feeling can be hard to overcome.

That’s why soaking or washing pineapple in salt water is such a great hack. Salt will actually activate the bromelain before it even enters your body, so by the time you eat it, the protein will have gone inactive. This is a produce mistake I’m definitely going to fix.

Here’s How to Do It

TikTok user @metemgeeblog has a simple breakdown on how to salt your pineapple.

@metemgeeblog Do you wash your pineapple with salt before eating? #guyanese🇬🇾 #metemgee #pineapple #peelingapineapple #howto ♬ original sound – Metemgee

Start by cutting pineapple as usual. This includes removing the tough skin and all the eyes. Then spiral-cut it around the core to create lots of surface area. Once that’s done, take a good amount of salt and rub it into every nook and cranny of your pineapple. Then give it a good rinse. The salt should have activated the bromelain protein, so you don’t have to worry about the weird mouthfeel anymore. Finish cutting it as usual and enjoy!

You can also take individual pineapple slices and dip them in a solution of 1 teaspoon kosher salt and about a cup of tap water. It may be a little salty, but it’ll make pineapple’s sweet taste even better.

Next Up: Learn how to clean fruits and veggies.

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You Should Be Washing Your Pineapple with SALT—Here's Why (2)

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You Should Be Washing Your Pineapple with SALT—Here's Why (2024)
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