
Have you ever noticed a tingling or slightly sore feeling after eating fresh pineapple? That's because pineapple contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which breaks down proteins. As you eat the fruit, the enzyme temporarily breaks down some of the proteins on the surface of your tongue and inside your mouth. Your body quickly repairs this harmless effect, which is why the sensation doesn't last long. Cooking pineapple deactivates most of the bromelain, so cooked pineapple is much less likely to cause tingling.
© National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health