The Science Behind Our Sweet-and-Savory Food Combinations; Pineapple On Pizza, Written By A Non-Scientist.
The debate over whether pineapple is a legitimate topping or has no place on the dough is raging again. I, Lia Ganni, obligated to get this war clear. A war that has sparked philosophical discussions and even torn apart friendships.
What is better than pizza? Pizza with pineapple on top of it. It doesn’t take a Walter White to do the math that pineapple and pizza have a chemistry together.
I’m a strong supporter of no pineapple on my pizza left behind. I really don’t think this is weird personally at all, but some other people do. My colleague at work swore by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lord. “I love pineapple and I love pizza, but together? Nope, ridiculous!” That statement broke my heart like a potato chip. How booooooo?
It made me think, is there a scientific reason we enjoy pineapple on our pizza? Other than the fact that both combinations taste great. Turns out, there is legit science behind our favorite pairings.
Pineapple and pizza have hung out together for ages. Before land and time, before Christ, before T-rex roamed, long before Flintstones yabbadabbadoo-ed the earth.
So it’s not wild to think that the pairing would taste just as good — if not better- if the extra extra extra cheese were melted. Just add a little tabasco and you’ve got the incredible polygamous relationship of spicy, sweet, and salty.
According to basic biology and Wikipedia, pineapple contains vitamin C and manganese, both of which are beneficial to our health. Manganese serves as an antioxidant while vitamin C helps the immune system. Also bromelain, it’s a complex mixture of substances that can be extracted from the stem and core fruit of the pineapple. Bromelain? It’s a “bro before hoe” thing yo! The protein-digesting enzymes in it are thought to aid digestion. They just work together, and if you don’t think so, just know you’re going against the facts. So it’s amazing to put it on top of our beloved pizza dough. Because it’s good for us. Paired with the regret of consuming pizza? It will balance things out, I reckon.
I understand it would be sacrilegious for pizza purists. It’s offensive, heretical, unbiblical, and blasphemous. Pizza to them is an extremely versatile food, and they would be hard pressed to find a flavor and topping combination that doesn’t please the tongue. But, why hate if your taste buds can taste multiple flavors at once through layers? The layers can occur quite frequently when eating foods with salty and sweet combos. And of course the combination of these two positive biological responses is really umm pleasurable. Yes, I just said, pleasurable.
Science proves that you should stop hating on pineapple on pizza. Maybe at the least, just stop saying out “yuckkk” when you see people eating it.
So yeah, are we cool now? Because I can’t see a no.
