It's the season for fragrant, sweet, and juicy pineapples. The sight of the golden pineapples and the thought of their delicious sweetness is enough to make your mouth water. But don't be too hasty. For your health, and for a delicious experience that won't harm your body, you must pay close attention...
There are three undesirable components in pineapples that can cause trouble:
Glycosides, which are organic compounds, can be somewhat irritating to the skin and oral mucosa. This is why eating raw, untreated pineapple can make your mouth feel itchy, but it is not directly harmful to your health.
Serotonin, a nitrogen-containing organic compound, has a potent effect of constricting blood vessels and raising blood pressure, with 2.5mg to 3.5mg found in every 100 grams of pineapple juice. The most direct reaction to consuming too much is a headache.
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme. When extracted, it has a strong effect of breaking down fibrin and blood clots, making it useful in medicine. The small amount of bromelain in pineapple is broken down and destroyed by stomach acid once it is eaten. However, a small number of people have an allergic reaction to this enzyme. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, urticaria (commonly known as hives), headache, and dizziness can appear about 15 to 60 minutes after consumption. In severe cases, difficulty breathing and shock can occur. This is what is referred to as a pineapple allergy.