History
Native to South America and probably of Northern Brazil, the pineapple was called nana (perfume), then nana nana (perfume of perfumes), then named anana by the Carib Indians at the time when Christopher Columbus discovered this fruit in 1493 when he landed in Guadeloupe.
At the time a slice of pineapple was a welcome gift for sailors so that they quench their thirst after the long journey at sea. Pineapple then traveled throughout tropical America to arrive in Martinique in 1548. In Histoire Générale des Antilles habitées par les Français of the priest Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre, he praised the qualities referring to him as "king of fruits because God put a crown on his head."
Today international production amounted to 10,260 million tonnes of pineapples in all humid tropical countries (Asia, America and Africa).
International production is 10,260 million tonnes of pineapples in all humid tropical countries (Asia, America and Africa).
Varieties
There are several varieties of pineapple, tastes and different forms:
- "Hawaii" is the variety most cultivated in Martinique whose flesh is golden yellow, very juicy and sweet.
- "Fils de Calvet" a hybrid of Hawaii, is grown mainly in Ajoupa-Bouillon.
- "Cayenne" or "Cayenne Lisse" is big and often weighs more than 2 kilos.
His natural production cycle is 18 to 22 months, but can be 10 to 12 months in the industrial plantation. Usually, they seed 60,000 plants per hectare, each seedling producing only a single fruit. In Martinique, almost 700 hectares are devoted to the cultivation of pineapple, and the largest farms are located on the territories of North Atlantic towns (Ajoupa-Bouillon, Basse-Pointe, Lorrain, Morne-Rouge).
Pineapple is a herbaceous plant up to 1 meter or 1.50 m in all directions with long lance-shaped leaves of 50 cm to 1,80m gear in general and sometimes smooth.
It does not support a temperature below 50°F (10°C). It is an exclusively tropical plant that requires drained soil, rich and acid.
It is strongly not recommended to keep the pineapple in the refrigerator.
Health benefits
Pineapple is diuretic and detoxifying. And thanks to bromelain, it helps to facilitate the digestion of protein and is an excellent dewormer. Pineapple is a source of manganese and vitamin C.
Pineapple also helps relieve the pain of osteoarthritis and treat colds. Some of these enzymes are effective in accelerating the healing of wounds and burns.
Uses
In Martinique, pineapple is very present in the feeding. It is often used to make a sweet-salty mixture in some sauces, as a dessert eaten raw or used to make juices, cake, sorbets, jams, fritters, etc...
