Slice of history
Pineapples were unknown to Europeans until Columbus found them in the Caribbean in 1493.
It is neither a pine nor an apple, but European settlers in the US gave it the name as it looked like a pine cone.
Pineapple juice mixed with sand is said to be good for cleaning boat decks and machete blades.
Victorians grew the fruit by burying them in a manure-covered trench that they soaked in horse urine.
Hawaii was historically the largest pineapple producer. The biggest today include Brazil and Costa Rica.
Pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme that may help arthritis pain by easing inflammation.