Printer Friendly Version - Pineapple Peel Tea, For What Ails You

Growing old(er) is not for the faint of heart. While I consider myself an active person, with each passing year, body aches seem to increase and become an issue. However small, more and more, I find that I need to address them to continue to do the kinds of fun activities I enjoy.

In late May last year, I had an accident on our electric bike that resulted in shoulder reconstructive surgery. My golf season was over before it even got started, and even some favorite activities like plein air painting, gardening, and ocean swimming had to be eliminated or modified. I was zealous in my participation in physical therapy (both at appointments and at home), so by the end of June, I was anxious to be active again. I had already resumed regular walking but was ready for more.

My recently retired friend Kathy was enjoying playing pickleball and encouraged me to try it. Since it was my left shoulder that was affected and I am right-handed, I thought this might work well for me as a fun summer activity outdoors. She and I attended an outdoor play in Madison and Killingworth, and I humbly learned the basics of the game. Like many others, I was hooked. It was tough at first trying to get my body, through hand-eye coordination and movement, to be in motion the way my mind (and other veteran players) told me was best. Eventually, through listening, understanding the rules and etiquette, and through repetition and practice, I improved enough to make it the fun and enjoyable activity it is meant to be.

Growing up, with so many topics to discuss, I thought the conversations of old(er) adults didn’t always make sense. I remember as my mother got old(er), when I asked how she was doing, she would more frequently reply, “My knee-ees, my ba-ack…” to which I would have little understanding. To be honest, in my mid-30s, I considered myself old (enough), and my mother, who was the same age I am now, as ‘old.’ Today, as a newly minted Medicare-card carrying 65-year-old, I consider myself in my prime. As conversations with my siblings and peers do more frequently turn to physical ailments, my past lack of empathy has become a total understanding in the present.

If you had told me 35 years ago (yes, like in the 1980s) I would be exploring natural remedies as a method to keep my joints from aching and my digestion moving, I would have laughed. At 30, on my own and in my first job post-graduate school, I was feeling quite indestructible. Well, that was then, and this is now.

Lately, I have been watching a lot of ‘reels’ on Facebook. Seeing a video about how to make Pineapple Peel Tea, a natural anti-inflammatory and aid to digestion, hit a bullseye for me. The achiness I feel after too much enthusiastic pickleball or an extra quick pace for our daily walk (or both) opened the door to my “that’s for me!” connection to the recipe. I already take plenty of meds, so the idea of helping my achy joints with a daily cup of tea seemed appealing.

This recipe uses the peel of a fresh pineapple, an ingredient that is frequently discarded. After cooking, the pineapple can still be composted. You can tell when a fresh pineapple is ready because it turns a yellowish orange, and it is aromatic. Pulling out a top leaf easily is also a good sign of ripeness. The pineapple need not be fully ripe when you purchase it as long as you have a few days to let it ripen. Fresh pineapple need not be refrigerated until after you cut it open. Then store the fresh-cut fruit in the fridge. This tea was made popular in Jamaica and can be served hot or cold. It is a natural anti-inflammatory and an aid in digestion.

Like many recipes I make, I tried the Pineapple Peel Tea on my husband. He said it was the best tea he ever had. It has a great natural sweetness. If you don’t want added sugar, you can skip it and adjust the tea when it is done to your tastes and preferences. My husband also liked the pineapple could be composted even after boiling with other ingredients. Making use of something that would otherwise be thrown away has great appeal, like getting a value-added bonus for purchasing the pineapple. A bigger bang for the buck in so many ways.

1 ripe fresh Pineapple
1 ‘knob’ (small piece the size of a knuckle) of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
½ cup white sugar or maple syrup
6 quarts water

Thoroughly wash the outside of a fresh pineapple with a vegetable brush or soak in vinegar to remove bacteria. Rinse. Cut off the top leaves and discard.
Carve the outside peel away and put in a spaghetti pot with 6 quarts of water. Quarter the remaining fruit vertically and remove the core from each quarter. Place the core in the pot with the peel. Cut wedges or cube the fresh pineapple and store in the fridge for other uses.
To the pot of pineapple peel and water, add the peeled and chopped ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and sugar preference. Or skip the sugar entirely!
Cover and bring to a boil until the tea is to your liking, 45-60 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Compost or discard the peel. Place cooled tea in jars or a pitcher and refrigerate. Makes about 1 gallon. Will keep for several weeks and can be frozen. (Think ice cubes for ice tea in summer!)

Tips: I used maple syrup, and it gave the tea a nice flavor. You can also add orange, lemons, or mango to the pot. I also like a little extra cinnamon. If you do use the turmeric, you might want to serve in paper hot or cold cups because it can stain the cup.

Pineapple tea has a great natural sweetness. If you don’t want added sugar, you can skip it and adjust the tea when it is done to your tastes and preferences. Photo courtesy Liz Egan