Gussy up sweet pineapple with cardamom, lime

Although Memphis summers can sometimes feel tropical, we don’t actually live close enough to the equator to be able to grow fruits like pineapple in our own gardens. Fortunately, most grocery stores regularly carry fresh pineapple, so it’s easy to come by.

A ripe pineapple, with its sweet and juicy fruit, is deliciousness itself and needs no adornment. But we love to gild the lily.

With all its good taste, pineapple also brings quality nutrition. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6 and thiamin. It’s high in some trace minerals, too. For example, one serving of fresh pineapple has 77 percent of the manganese you need each day. Manganese is involved in the formation of connective tissue in the body, as well as in the making of sex hormones. It also works to help metabolize fats and carbohydrates, and it’s important for normal brain and nervous system function.

Pineapple also has bromelain, a type of enzyme long touted as something that “helps digestion.” Bromelain is actually a mixture of substances found primarily in the fruit near the stem and core of the pineapple, and some of these substances are enzymes that help digest protein; however, there is no good evidence that eating pineapple will help you digest other foods.

Interestingly, since pineapple is classified as a fruit, it may help you lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. In a study reported in a 2004 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers found that eating three servings of fruit per day lowered risk for this vision-stealing disease by 36 percent, when compared to a group who ate only 1½ or fewer servings per day.

Today’s recipe calls for a very light syrup that serves like a marinade for the pineapple. It infuses a slightly limey, spicy flavor into the sweet fruit. When I made this, I followed the recipe, using only two cardamom pods as directed, but next time I think I will add another one or two. I liked the flavor very much.

Cardamom has some positive health qualities of its own, helping to neutralize bacteria in the mouth that can lead to bad breath and cavities.

You may have to go to a higher-end kitchen specialty store to find cardamom pods. But they are worth the trip.

This recipe would also be good to use if a pineapple you’ve purchased isn’t as sweet as you had hoped for. Tossing it with this light marinade adds sweetness as well as flavor, helping to balance out a pineapple with too much tartness. If you prefer, you could vary the sweetener, perhaps substituting agave syrup or a sugar substitute.

We still have some hot days ahead, even as summer wanes, and serving something tropical is a great way to enjoy the last of the warm days of summer. Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 901-277-3062, FAX 901-529-2787, email Meganmyrd@aol.com.