Fun facts about the pineapple

Although the pineapple's exact origins remain unknown, Christopher Columbus is said to have discovered the pineapple in Guadeloupe, a Caribbean island colonized by the French in the 17th century. Pictures like this one (from France, around 1900), showing a farming collective, were supposed to bring Europeans closer to the exotic flora of their South Sea colonies.

Have you ever thought about how a pineapple grows? What the plant actually looks like? It's a member of the Bromeliaceae family; bromeliads are popular indoor plants in Germany because they are robust and form pretty flowers. Rooted in the soil, the pineapple plant forms a trunk with many thick-fleshed leaves. The flower develops at the upper end of the stem.

The blossom is comprised of many small, individual blossoms — around 100 to 200 pieces. Over time, they develop into the pineapple fruit. Even though the plant can grow quite large, botanists have labeled the pineapple as a berry.

The pineapple is a miracle-worker, health-wise. It contains loads of vitamin C alongside other minerals and trace elements like manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, zinc and an enzyme called bromelain, said to be good for digestion. Pineapple regulates metabolism and is a mood enhancer. In addition, it is said to help with detoxify and — most importantly — make one beautiful.

Although the pineapple is healthy, it is not necessarily good for weight loss. One popular pineapple diet would have you eating just pineapple while drinking plenty of water or tea. If you do this for a few days, you actually lose weight. Not so fast, though: The pineapple does not lead to long-term loss of fat, but only dehydrates you. Once the diet is over, the famous yo-yo effect occurs.

German TV chef Clemens Wilmenrod claimed to have invented Toast Hawaii in the 50s. A slice of toast with ham, a slice of pineapple and the whole thing covered with melted cheese and — voila! One of the most popular German dishes of the 70s and 80s, these sandwiches can still be found on the menu of many of the country's snack bars or parties to this day. The Italian version: pizza Hawaii.

Asian cuisine, in contrast, is a bit more refined in its use of pineapple. An integral part of a typical vegetable mix, the pineapple is used in dishes from Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia. This photo shows the Cambodian fish dish "Amok Trey," made with coconut milk, lemongrass, mushrooms and pineapple.

Piña Colada means sifted pineapple in Spanish. It's a sweet and creamy cocktail mixing coconut cream, rum and pineapple. Some bartenders add a touch of cream and coconut liqueur. The recipe is not a hard one: 6 cl white rum, 2 cl coconut liqueur, 10 cl pineapple juice, 2cl cream, 4cl coconut milk. Put everything in the shaker and shake well. Put ice into the glass, pour over it, decorate: ready.