Is It Safe To Eat The Core Of A Pineapple?

We're all slowly but surely learning to be less wasteful when it comes to our organic foods, getting use out of every part of the product. We know to use banana peels as compost to grow vegetables, pickle watermelon rinds for a savory snack, and even turn strawberry tops into vinegar. When it comes to cutting up fresh pineapple, it can seem like a lot of the fruit is going to waste. You're throwing away the crown, cutting off the prickly skin, and separating the core just to enjoy those few juicy bits of flesh on the inside. But you can get a lot more use out of a pineapple than you may think.

Not only is the core of a pineapple safe to eat, but it's encouraged as a healthy snack by famous brands like Dole and LiveStrong. By now, you've noticed that the core of a pineapple is hard and slightly more bitter, which is due to its fibrous nature. This doesn't mean it's inedible, just that it requires a little more work before it can be comfortably consumed. It contains the same (if not more) vitamins and enzymes as pineapple flesh and can be easily salvaged from the inevitable wreckage that comes with slicing up the fruit.

Pineapple flesh on its own makes for a healthy, low-calorie snack, but the core takes things a step further. It contains about half the calories of a 5-ounce cup of pineapple flesh plus fewer carbs and sugar. Pineapple core is rich in fiber, which can help control blood sugar levels and regulate bowel movements, and is chock-full of bromelain, a group of enzymes known to reduce swelling. According to the International Food Research Journal, the cores of Queen and Smooth Cayenne pineapples in particular (some of the most popular types of pineapples) are even higher in bromelain than other varieties.

If chewing on a tough pineapple core doesn't sound like your jam, there are other ways to put it to good use that still ensure you're receiving all of those juicy benefits. To soften the core, try boiling it in water before grinding it into a purée for sorbets, smoothies, or cocktails. You can make pineapple core tea by bringing orange juice, lemon juice, water, various spices, and the core to a boil on the stove before straining. Perhaps you want to try turning the core into a syrup — the sweetest way to use your leftover pineapple core — for use in cocktails or lemonades all season long. Alternatively, you can chop the pineapple core into small pieces for use in a tangy pineapple salsa or freeze it into ice cubes for a splash of sweetness in any beverage.