Pink Pineapple ~ everything you need to know!

They’re grown in Costa Rica, by Del Monte.

They’re sweeter and less acidic than regular pineapple, and, at least for me, they taste like a cross between a pineapple and a strawberry. It’s a lovely flavor that is definitely different enough to warrant checking them out.

Lycopene is a natural plant pigment that gives the pink color. It’s also in tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit.

No, they look just like regular pineapples on the outside, the pink is just in the flesh of the fruit.

Yes, they’ve been genetically modified in a laboratory to be sweeter and pinker than natural pineapples. 3 genes were altered to shift the natural yellow from beta carotene to the pink from lycopene. Why do this? Companies genetically modify plants for various reasons: for better productivity/profit, environmental reasons, resistence to disease and climate change, or better consumer appeal. In this case the reason was to make a unique and exciting variety of pineapple to appeal to buyers. The FDA says GMO food is completely safe, but many are skeptical of the process.

The health benefits are almost identical to regular pineapples.

For now you have to order them online here, or here. By the way, they come in a spectacular box and would make a great gift to a fruit lover.

Pineapples look a little daunting with all that prickly skin and spiky top, but they’re a breeze to prep when you know the simple way to peel and cut them ~ see my post all about How to Cut a Pineapple