The Shocking Science Behind Why Pineapple Turns Your Mouth Into a Tingling Minefield

Ever wonder why biting into a juicy pineapple suddenly turns your mouth into a tingly, slightly fiery mess? No, it’s not some secret spice or your imagination running wild—this tropical treat has a weird little defense mechanism going on, and honestly, it’s kind of freaky. While most of us are too lazy to Google why our tongues feel like they’re under attack, TikTok swooped in to save the day with a microscopic peek that explains the madness. Spoiler alert: pineapples aren’t just sweet, they’re packing thousands of tiny needles just waiting to prick your mouth—talk about a fruit with attitude! So, if you’ve ever paused mid-bite wondering, “Wtf is happening here?” you’re not alone. Ready to find out why your beloved pineapple fights back every time you munch? LEARN MORE.

It turns out that there’s a pretty freaky reason why eating a pineapple makes your mouth tingle.

As long as you’re not putting it on pizza (and shame on you, those of you who do), pineapple counts as one of your five a day and is considered to be a healthy food.

But when you eat this wonderfully tropical fruit, there’s often a weird tingly sensation you get in your mouth and tongue.

The thought always goes through your head: “Wtf is this?”

Most of us, however, can’t be bothered to Google the reason, so we carry on eating it.

Thankfully though there’s this thing called TikTok, which always comes in handy.

SF Microscopy, a page dedicated to explainer videos, revealed why we get this odd feeling when eating pineapple.

Why does your mouth tingle while eating pineapple?

If you’ve ever eaten a pineapple, you know (Getty Stock Images)

So the voiceover in the clip explains that the reason is due to something called ‘raphides’.

“It’s cause we are getting stabbed by 1000s of tiny needles called raphides,” they said.

“These crystals of calcium oxalate poke holes in your cell membranes causing irritation.”

The content creator then showed the ‘microcosmos’ within the pineapple chunks, which basically resembled ‘little needles’ that stab your mouth and give you that weird, irritated feeling on your tongue after you’ve eaten it.

The science of pineapple ‘needles’

Will you eat them again? (Getty Stock Images)

As the TikToker suggests, the needles are called ‘raphides’ and contain insoluble crystals, which are made of calcium oxalate, according to McGill University.

One theory about raphides is that if the plant is damaged, sap or saliva will trigger the expulsion of these needles, which can then prick the lining of our oral cavity and cause irritation.

In other words, pineapples have pretty much been fighting back when we’re eating them.

Although some vowed to never eat the fruit again, people in the comments didn’t appear to be put off one bit

“How masochist of me damn,” one of the viewers wrote.

Serious, why? (Getty Stock Images)

“You know the fruit’s good when it starts fighting back,” a second joked.

Whilst others were reflecting on their own pineapple-eating experiences, as a third revealed: “It always feels so raw afterwards, this makes so much sense.”

“My mouth be sore as hell after going crazy on them pineapples,” another added, while a fifth viewer also said: “Mine sometimes bleeds.”

Meanwhile, someone else concluded: “Thank you… never knew tropical fruit had defence mechanisms… very interesting.”

Again, don’t be putting it on your pizza, please.