Welcome to the First Friday Food Feature! Where we’ll highlight a whole food plant based ingredient on the first Friday of every month! Today, we continue with pineapple. We’ll discuss the health benefits of pineapple as well as practical and creative ways to use it in plant based cooking. Plus, enjoy some delicious vegan recipes utilizing pineapple!
First, what does whole food plant based (WFPB) actually mean? A whole foods plant based diet is a stricter version of the vegan diet. Foods are eaten in their most natural state (or as close to their most natural state as possible), and they are minimally processed. For a list of foods to avoid on a WFPB diet, click here.
The term whole food plant based was coined by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.
Health Benefits
- high in nutrients (especially vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B6)
- good source of fiber
- low in calories
- loaded with healthy disease-fighting antioxidants
- enzymes are easily digested in the body
- may help reduce the risk of cancer
- may help boost immunity
- reduces inflammation and can help ease symptoms of arthritis
Fun Facts
- originated in South America
- European explorers first called them “pineapples” because they resembled pinecones
- can take up to 3 years to grow and mature into a fruit-bearing plant
- one plant only produces one pineapple per season
- the pineapple plant can live up to 50 years
- Hawaii produces about ⅓ of all pineapples in the world
- is actually technically a berry
- the fruit is a fusion of 100-200 individual flowers
- there are 2 types:
- Cayenne
- Red Spanish
- made up of 86% water
- do not ripen much after being harvested
- judge the ripeness by looking at the exterior spikes: the flatter the skin, the riper the fruit
Plant Based Cooking & Recipes
Pineapple can be purchased fresh, frozen, or canned. If buying canned, purchase in its own juices and not in syrup for the healthiest option. When possible, fresh is always best for a more vibrant taste and maintaining of natural nutrients.
- slice pineapple and add to oatmeal, grain bowls, and smoothie bowls
- serve with plant based yogurt or other breakfast meal
- blend into smoothies
- add to spinach salads and fruit salads
- blend into a pineapple juice
- add to make a sweet and spicy salsa
- add to vegan curries, fried rice, pizza, burgers, fajitas, or tacos
- grill pineapple on skewers with veggies for vegan kebabs
- grill slices with sugar and cinnamon for an easy dessert (just make sure the sugar is vegan!)
- or hey, blend it into a pina colada or your favorite cocktail! 😉
Walnut Chorizo Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Jamaican Jerk Red Beans and Rice Bowl
For more amazing vegan recipes utilizing pineapple, be sure to check out my Pinterest board. What are your favorite recipes with pineapple? (Eating it plain is perfectly fine too!) Let me know in the comments below! And be sure to follow me on social media this week for lots more deliciousness! 😋
I thoroughly enjoyed all the info from grating ginger and freezing, Mama Earth, and the winter exercise program. Great blog.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed 🥰
Pineapple is not on my list of likes. Though when I do buy one for my husband I do like the smell. While in Hawaii I wanted to have some shipped home for family and the man shipping it for me convinced me to try some and told me I’d love pineapple fresh from Hawaii. He didn’t change my mind. He then told me most pineapple is left in Hawaii for locals to purchase and we get our pineapple from other countries. Interesting.
God bless! ❤️
I’m the complete opposite–pineapple is one of my favorites! 🍍 Cutting a fresh pineapple, however, is not among one of my favorite things…