Feature Image by Aurélien Sinte
Ever feel a tingling sensation in your mouth after eating pineapple? Well, you’re not alone. Ahead, we break down why pineapple has that tingling effect.
What causes it?
According to Dr. Louis Siegelman, a dentist anesthesiologist, the tingling comes from bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme that breaks down chains of protein into shorter fragments. As bromelain breaks down the proteins on the surface of your lips, tongue, and cheeks, it can leave your mouth feeling raw or numb.
Should you be worried?
Though the feeling may be somewhat unpleasant, it’s completely harmless for most people. However, if you’re allergic to bromelain or are on blood thinners, you might want to avoid pineapple as it can cause an allergic reaction and heighten your blood sugar levels.
Is there a solution?
While the tingling sensation isn’t a cause for concern, you can reduce the effects by ensuring your pineapple is fully ripe before eating it, consuming canned pineapple as the canning process deactivates the bromelain enzyme, or limiting how much you eat in one sitting.
For the most part, though, that tingly feeling you get in your mouth when you eat pineapple is nothing more than a tingly feeling, so go ahead and enjoy all the pineapple you want!
xx, The FabFitFun Team
