If you like pineapple, you may have experienced many times that itchy sensation on the tongue that appears after eating some pieces of natural pineapple. Sometimes it is so intense that you have to stop eating, not only because of the itching, but because you start to think that there is a part of the pineapple that has gone bad.
Well, you should know that it has nothing to do with the fact that the pineapple is expired or in poor condition. In short, there is nothing wrong with the pineapple. The problem is bromelain.
As Farmacéutico Fernández explains, bromelain is an enzyme that breaks down proteins in the tissues of the tongue, gums, and the inner walls of the mouth. At first we don’t notice it, because we have a protective mucus layer, but as we eat and the acidity of the pineapple breaks it down, the bromelain comes into more direct contact with the tongue and begins to break down the tongue tissue. And that’s why it itches us, and the more we eat, the more it itches us: because it’s also eating us.
No, it’s not dangerous, because the stomach juices neutralize the bromelain, so we don’t have to worry about that. You won’t run out of tongue either, don’t worry.
The problem is that it is an annoying sensation. If you really like pineapple and can’t stand this itch, you can do a couple of things. First of all, keep in mind that usually the first pieces you eat are not spicy, because our mouths are still protected. Therefore, eat moderate amounts.
If you want to eat more, we recommend that you choose canned pineapple, which will not bite (or not as much). Also, where bromelain is most concentrated is in the core of the pineapple, and canned pineapple comes without the core, which is too fibrous.
Original article from RAC1: “Why does your tongue itch when you eat pineapple? Because it eats you too.”
