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Why You Should Fall for Pineapples this Halloween

As summer dwindles down and autumn approaches, now is the time to begin preparing for  an abundance of fresh pineapple into our customer’s stores. As we will be discussing in the coming weeks, fall is one of the best times of the year for pineapple production from our farms in Costa Rica. One fun and delicious way to utilize these pinas is to incorporate them into the fun tradition of Halloween carving. We have listed a few reasons below as to why pineapples are the new pumpkin when it comes to fall festivities, and stay tuned for a video coming soon on how to easily carve your own Pineapple Jack-o-Lantern!

1. Availability

Most consumers identify pineapples as a refreshing summer fruit, and though they make the perfect pina colada, autumn is one of the best times of year to reap the benefits of pineapple harvesting. Pineapples are plentiful during the fall, which means stores are able to provide even more shelf space for the delicious fruit, which comes in abundance.

2. Cost efficiency

At under $5 a pop, obtaining a perfect, beautiful pineapple is cost efficient as it is convenient. The famed pumpkin may take the street corner, but pineapples take the cake when it comes to a happy wallet.

3. Snackability

After coring your perfect pineapple with an easy-to-use pineapple slicer, the fruit is immediately ready to enjoy as you carve your tropical creation. Craving Halloween decadence? Try melting dark or milk chocolate on-hand from trick-o-treaters and dipping in the pineapple. Sinfully delicious!

4. Health Benefits

Pineapple fruit contains half of the daily-recommended value of vitamin C and also contains nearly 75 percent of the daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue. Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is essential in keeping your intestines healthy, but unlike many other fruits and veggies, pineapple contains significant amounts of bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein. In addition to having a hearty amount of vitamin C, pineapple’s bromelain may help reduce mucus in the throat and nose, making it a great snack for those with a cold or sinus infections.

5. Simplicity

Creating a pina-lantern is simple, especially with the use of readily-available tools such as the pineapple slicer. Just cut the top off the pineapple, use the tool to core the fruit, and use a carving kit to make your favorite fun or scary pina-face. Stay tuned into our blog and YouTube channel for tips on how to easily make your own in just minutes!

Photo by Amy Covington.

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The superbugs have been a growing threat for years due to an over reliance on antibiotics. What if I were to tell you that scientists have discovered another weapon to combat the superbug by simply fighting nature with nature?

Turns out the pineapple is a potential key component in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria, also known as the superbug.  Studies have shown the enzymes, namely bromelain, contained within the stem and the roots of the pineapples can cure diarrhea in pigs. What a relief for both the pigs and the farmers!  This natural solution would reduce the reliance on antibiotics in pig farming while also having the effect of not only diminishing antibiotics in pigs themselves but also reducing the human exposure to antibiotics during consumption.

Scientist believe this may also help reduce diarrhea in humans as well.  So the next time you find yourself spending more time in the restroom than the office, try some pineapple, your organization will appreciate it.

Read more from the Sydney Morning Herald to learn about the natural superbug solution

Bromelain has been widely discussed in our blog read more about it here.

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By Dr. Lloyd Berg, PhD.

We are so very proud to share the results of a recent project we embarked on with one of our longstanding customers, European-based Tesco PLC. An admirable example of what can be done in the sphere of social responsibility, Tesco recently launched the Eat Happy Project. Since its inception it has been committed to helping the next generation have a healthier and happier relationship with food. To make this change, Tesco works to give children the tools they need to live a healthy life and make better decisions about what they put on their plates when they grow up.

In addition to the Eat Happy Project’s “Farm to Fork” trail visits and hands-on cooking demonstrations, Tesco has partnered with Google+ Hangouts to produce Online Field Trips that bring far away farms and factories into UK classrooms, and host lessons from food suppliers around the world via live video chats.

Honored to be selected for a recent Online Field Trip for three England-based elementary schools, Chestnut Hill Farms joined students one afternoon to introduce them to the world of “prickly pineapples.” Joining one of its packing houses in Kent, our very own President and COO Raul Romero help lead a discussion about pineapple basics and answered a few questions.

The results? Fantastic! As one of the classroom’s homework assignments, Mr. Handley asked students to post their own pineapple recipes in his classroom blog. Click here to see the fun and (very, very) versatile recipes.

For more information about the Tesco‘s Eat Happy Project, visit http://www.eathappyproject.com/resource-hub/online-field-trips/pineapples/. For more information about Chestnut Hill Farms’ Perfect Pineapple™ please contact our offices at (305) 592-6969.

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