Pineapple Contains an Enzyme That Eats Your Tongue While You Eat It

Have you ever noticed a tingling or slight soreness after eating a lot of pineapple? There's a scientific reason: pineapple contains bromelain, a powerful proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme that literally begins breaking down the proteins in your mouth and tongue as you eat.

It's a reciprocal process — you're eating the pineapple, and the pineapple is (very slowly) eating you back. Cooking pineapple deactivates bromelain, which is why canned pineapple doesn't cause this sensation. Bromelain is also used commercially as a meat tenderizer, in anti-inflammatory medications, and in certain industrial processes. So the next time pineapple feels like it's burning your tongue — it literally is.