People are only now discovering why your tongue tingles after eating pineapple
Of all the fruits, pineapple is the tastiest for many people because of its sweet and juicy taste.
But if you’ve ever eaten the fruit and noticed that your moth started to tingle strangely afterward, you’re probably not alone.
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In fact, some people are astonished when they discover the reason for this persistent and sometimes even painful feeling.
TikTok’s science fans post on TikTok SF microscopy explained what causes this uncomfortable feeling that many of us experience after eating a sweet snack.
In the clip, they looked at parts of the fruit under a microscope to determine the cause of the sensation.
“That’s because we’re stung by thousands of tiny needles called raphides,” the voice explained in the clip.
“This crystals of calcium oxalate pokes holes in your cell membranes and causes irritation!”
The content creator gave TikTok users a closer look, pointing out the “tiny needles” that can cause a slight stinging sensation in your mouth.
Because these ‘needles’ are so small, it doesn’t really feel like a prick and will only irritate your mouth.
The revelation left many pineapple fans in awe, with one even vowing to ‘never eat pineapple again’.
“You know the fruit is good when it starts fighting back,” a second man said in the clip.
And a third said: “It always feels so raw afterwards, this makes so much sense.”
Someone else joined in the conversation: “My mouth hurts like hell after going crazy on that pineapple.”
Another wrote: “Thank you… I didn’t know tropical fruits had defense mechanisms… very interesting.”
What the science says
A study of McGill University explained that the so-called needles are in fact “raphides,” which contain insoluble crystals.
The research found that, according to one theory, raphides operate as follows: their defense mechanisms as herbivores strike back when the plant is damaged.
The juice or saliva will activate the ‘needles’ and sting the predators, which happen to be us humans.
These little pricks cause the irritated feeling – the more you know!
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