Why pineapples hurt your tongue

Many people feel a tingling, sometimes-burning sensation when they bite into fresh pineapple , and lots of them—incorrectly—chalk up the feeling to the fruit's acid content. The real reason why your mouth burns when you eat pineapple is because of the presence of "active protein-digesting enzymes that are used in meat tenderizers, but can cause problems in other prepared dishes," and your own mouth, writes Harold McGee in On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen.

That's why some people wonder if pineapple is a flesh-eating fruit. It's not, for the record—and eating too much pineapple won't make you look like a zombie straight out of The Walking Dead. But bromelain, the main enzyme in pineapple that breaks down proteins, is what causes that burning sensation on your tongue and the roof of your mouth. And it's why pineapple can be dangerous when handled in commercial quantities.

Our magnificent bodies quickly regenerate new skin and heal our ravaged mouths. There are also some ways to avoid the burning sensation.

Heat denatures enzymes in any food, so pineapple that has been cooked will not hurt you come at me, grilled pineapple. Some people say that cutting up the pineapple and letting that sit at room temperature will lessen the effects of bromelain, but that is a major underestimate of the powers of the enzyme.

At room temperature, it can survive at least a week. Learn how to cut a pineapple the right way here. Coffee Tea Perfect for when you're Too Sober See All Drinks. Dining Hall Dorm Lyfe Perfect for when you're Woman's boss tells her to stop microwaving beans and eggs for her office breakfast because it's outside Training day!

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