Have You Ever Wondered...

 Do you like pineapple on your pizza?

 What toppings go on a Hawaiian pizza?
 How healthy is pineapple?

TAGS:

See All Tags

 Food,

 Fruit,

 Health,

 Science,

 Pineapple,

 Pizza,

 Debate,

 Hawaiian,

 Ham,

 Sweet,
 Salty,

 Savory,

 Bitter,

 Sour,

 Flavor,

 Opinion,

 Slice,

 Survey,

 Italian,

 Ingredient,

 Buffalo Chicken,

 Philly Cheesesteak,
  Canada,

 Hawaii,

 Oregon,

 Maine,

 California,

 Nevada,

 Manganese,

 Vitamin C,

 Vitamin B2

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Steve. Steve Wonders, “Why Do People
Like Pineapple On Their Pizza?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Steve!

T here have been many great debates over the ages. Which came first: the chicken or
the egg? Why did the chicken cross the road? Is it soda or pop? And is Coke or Pepsi
better? Michael Jordan or LeBron James? The list goes on and on.

Recently, however, a new debate has run rampant across social media, dividing friends
and families and possibly threatening the survival of civilization itself. The question:
does pineapple belong on pizza?
For fans of Hawaiian pizza (a classic pie topped with pineapple and ham), the answer is
a clear "Yes!" However, many others feel that adding super-sweet pineapple to
an otherwise salty and savory pizza pie is an abomination akin to adding watermelon to
a cheeseburger.

What do you think? Do you love pineapple on your pizza? Or does fruit on a savory
pizza pie make you cringe? Those seem to be the only opinions in this debate. There
doesn't seem to be much middle ground. When it comes to pineapple on pizza, most
people either love it or hate it.

And the numbers are pretty close. A pizza delivery smartphone app called Slice
conducted a survey of over 9,000 people about pineapple on pizza. The results?
A majority of 54% of respondents said "No!" to pineapple on pizza. That means 46%
gave pineapple a "thumbs up!"

Pizza purists often claim that pineapple is not a classic Italian ingredient and therefore
does not belong on pizza. However, others point out that there are plenty of new and
interesting types of pizzas out there that don't seem to offend people the way pineapple
does, from buffalo chicken to Philly cheesesteak.

If you happen to love Hawaiian pizza, you may be surprised to learn that the pineapple-
and-ham concoction was invented in Canada in the 1960s. It does happen to be
popular in Hawaii today, although residents of Oregon, Maine, California, and Nevada
order it more frequently than Hawaiians.

People who like pineapple on their pizza might be able to back up their preference with
a bit of science. Of the five basic flavors — sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and savory — our
bodies naturally crave both sweet and salty foods.

This is why certain salty and sweet combinations are very popular. For example, who
doesn't like classic salty/sweet combinations like chocolate-covered pretzels, peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches, and salted caramel?

Pineapple on pizza proponents say the sweet pineapple combines with the salty tomato
sauce to provide the same salty/sweet punch as other classic combinations. It may also
be healthy. Experts point out that pineapple contains valuable nutrients, including
manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin B2.

So if you love pineapple on pizza, keep eating it! Who's going to stop you? If you're not
a fan, don't worry about it. Let others eat what they want to eat and you can keep
chowing down on your own personal favorite combination of pizza toppings.




Wonder Contributors
WE’D LIKE TO THANK:
Andon
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!
Keep WONDERing with us!
WHAT ARE YOU WONDERING?

Wonder Words (18)

 AKIN
 CRINGE
 PURISTS
 SURVEY
 OFFEND
 SURVIVAL
 DIVIDING
 MAJORITY
 OPINIONS
 DEBATES
 RAMPANT
 OTHERWISE
 CIVILIZATION
 PREFERENCE
 CONCOCTION
 THREATENING
 RESPONDENTS
 ABOMINATION
TAKE THE WONDER WORD CHALLENGE

DID YOU GET IT?

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Wonder What's Next?

Join us in Wonderopolis tomorrow as we learn about “the fastest sport in the world!”

Try It Out
Are you hungry yet? We are! Don't forget to sink your teeth into these delicious activities
with a friend or family member:
 Whether or not you already love pineapple on pizza, it's time to give it a try! Ask an adult friend
or family member to take you on a field trip to a local pizzeria. Talk to someone about how
popular pineapple is as a pizza topping at their restaurant. How many varieties of pineapple
pizza do they serve? Order a classic Hawaiian pizza or some other combination that includes
pineapple and enjoy!

 Want to make your own homemade Hawaiian pizza? Go for it! Jump online to check out this
recipe for Easy Hawaiian Pizza. If you feel ambitious, go wild and add other ingredients, such
as banana peppers or olives. What do you think? Do you give pineapple on pizza the "thumbs
up" or "thumbs down"?

 If you know you're definitely not a fan of pineapple on pizza, go ahead and make your own perfect
pizza pie at home. What type of dough will you use? Do you prefer thin crust or something thicker?
How spicy do you like your pizza sauce? How many different types of cheeses do you want?
Finally, what toppings make the perfect pie? Pepperoni? Sausage? Beef? Onions? Green
peppers? Anchovies? Pineapple? You're the chef and in control. Make your perfect pizza pie at
home and share it with a friend or family member.

Wonder Sources

 https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas/food-drink/pizza-pineapple-is-it-acceptable-c
hefs-expert-opinion-a8074571.html
 https://www.today.com/food/pineapple-acceptable-pizza-topping-america-decides-t118980
 https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/the-scientific-reason-why-pineapples-belong-on-pizza

RATE THIS WONDER

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

70 Comments
SHARE THIS WONDER

Related Wonders for You to Explore

 #2471

What Do You Eat on a Keto Diet?

#2470

Is the Piano a Percussion or String Instrument?

#2469

What Are the Marfa Lights?

#2467

Is a Cashew a Fruit or a Nut?

 #2460

Who Was Frida Kahlo?

 submit

 HOME
 WHAT'S NEW
 EXPLORE WONDERS
 WONDER GROUND
 WHAT ARE YOU WONDERING?
 WONDEROPOLIS STORE
 CAMP WONDEROPOLIS
 DONATE
 About
 Get Widget
 Wonder Jar
 Wonder Hotspots
 Contact

2014–2019 © National Center for Families Learning