This pineapple skin tea combines the power of pineapple peel, turmeric, ginger, honey, and more for a sweet, flavorful anti-inflammatory tea!
After years as a food blogger, I’m always on the hunt for ways to reduce my food waste. This pineapple skin tea is something I stumbled upon recently, and I’m so sorry that it’s taken me this long to discover – all that pineapple peel I could have transformed into delicious, flavorful anti-inflammatory tea (aka pineapple tea)!
This pineapple skin tea is inspired by a popular traditional Jamaican similar drink combining pineapple peel with ginger, orange/lemon juice, and several other additions. Luckily, it’s now in my life, I added a couple of extra ingredients, and I think you very well may love it as much as I do.
I’m no stranger to combining turmeric and ginger for their excellent health and anti-inflammatory benefits (like these Ginger Turmeric Energy Shots, One-Pot Turmeric, Ginger &Pumpkin Soup, and Simple Golden Spice (Golden Milk Powder). However, the addition of pineapple peel adds extra flavor and anti-inflammatory benefits to the tea!
Pineapple Skin Benefits
Pineapple contains (including the pineapple peel and core) a powerful enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme with anti-inflammatory benefits and has been used medicinally for centuries.
Currently, bromelain is used for several purposes – when ingested, it is likely to reduce inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages and throat. However, it also helps prevent blood clotting and encourages the formation of new red blood cells, which may be beneficial for treating cardiovascular diseases.
There have also been several studies to show that bromelain has the potential to help with several inflammation-related diseases. These include osteoarthritis, asthma, chronic sinusitis, colitis, and even cancer.
It is also rich in immune-boosting vitamin C and may also help with digestion issues and fighting intestinal parasites.
Top Tip: It’s important to note that bromelain can interact with several medications, including anticoagulants and antibiotics. If you’re unsure, then it’s always best to consult a medical doctor before trying this pineapple tea.
Top Tips For Pineapple Peel Tea
- Make sure to thoroughly wash the pineapple before using the pineapple peel (method included below).
- You can collect pineapple scraps in a bag in the freezer until you’re ready to make a batch of this pineapple tea.
- Add a pinch of black pepper to each serving of tea (you won’t taste it). This is needed to help our bodies fully absorb the turmeric nutrients.
The Ingredients
- Pineapple peel: use the core too for even more bromelain
- Orange & lemon: make sure to use fresh orange and lemon juice. I used a blood orange since I had one in my house. Feel free to use regular orange instead. You can optionally add that peel to the tea too, but I usually use it for this Non-Toxic Natural All-Purpose Citrus Cleaner.
- Aromatics: ginger and turmeric. I prefer to use fresh rather than powdered for this pineapple tea, so you don’t have the ground spice’s sediment in the liquid.
- Herbs & spices: cinnamon sticks, cayenne pepper (optional) or black pepper (to help our bodies absorb the curcumin in turmeric), and rosemary. You can experiment with other herbs that pair well with pineapple, too – mint, lemon basil, basil, sage, etc.
- Sweetener: I used honey. For a vegan option, you could use maple syrup.
Chef’s note: All of these ingredients were carefully chosen for their flavor as well as their health benefits. For example, cinnamon has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties while boosting gut health, digestive health, and lowering blood pressure and sugar levels. Meanwhile, cayenne pepper is metabolism-boosting, can lower blood pressure, aids digestive health, has anti-cancer properties, and may even relieve pain. So, all of the ingredients boost the pineapple tea benefits!
How To Make Pineapple Skin Tea
Step 1: Clean the pineapple
It’s essential to clean the pineapple skin thoroughly. You can do this by scrubbing the pineapple thoroughly with a vegetable brush. I like to do a vinegar soak – which helps to remove bacteria and pesticides from the skin.
Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the pineapple body and add 1-2 tablespoon of vinegar – this shouldn’t affect the pineapple’s flavor.
Allow it to soak for between 20-30 minutes, then rinse well with clean water.
Step 2: Remove the peel
Pat the rinsed pineapple dry and then remove the peel with a sharp paring knife. You can also use the pineapple core (I didn’t this time as I was using whole slices for a recipe, for presentation).
The pineapple flesh can be eaten as a snack or stored in the fridge/freezer to make smoothies.
Step 3: Prepare the remaining ingredients
Prepare the ginger and turmeric roots by washing and peeling them and then grating them using a garlic grating dish or a fine grater.
You can slice them and slightly ‘bruise’ them by bashing with the knife handle’s hilt, but I find that the flavors infuse much better when grated.
Do this step with gloves on as the turmeric WILL stain your skin.
Then, juice the lemon and oranges – you can do this with an electric or manual juicer.
Step 4: Brew the pineapple tea
Add all of the ingredients (except the honey) into a large pot with water and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for an hour – the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will become.
Step 5: Sieve and decant the pineapple skin tea
Allow the tea to cool down slightly before you sieve it and transfer it to bottles.
Optionally, forego the sieve and remove the large pieces of pineapple skin and the rosemary. However, you will then have some remaining pulp in the drink.
You can add a little sweetener now (I used honey), or just before serving it, or omit this entirely.
The pineapple tea is then ready to drink immediately or store for later.
How To Serve
You can enjoy the anti-inflammatory warm or cold. It can be enjoyed alone or added to other drinks, including lemonade and cocktails in place of pineapple juice.
How To Store
Fridge: Store the leftover pineapple skin tea in airtight glass containers (so they don’t stain) in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Freeze: The pineapple tea can also be frozen into ice-cubes to add to drinks or thaw and consume.
How to use the leftover pulp?
After removing the rosemary and cinnamon sticks from the anti-inflammatory tea, there’s no need to discard the leftover pulp. This can still be used in several ways:
To create a pineapple juice: While lots of the flavor will be in the brewed tea, you can add all of the leftover pulp to a blender with some water and then sieve for a juice. As you haven’t ‘squeezed’ the peel before, there should still be plenty of flavor left to work with.
Blended into pulp: Blend the pineapple peel and leftover ginger and turmeric sediment into a pulpy mush. This can be frozen into ice cubes and then used in several ways.
- To add to smoothies.
- Add to marinades and stocks.
- To make a single portion of hot tea.
Related Recipes
If you try this Pineapple Skin Tea recipe, then let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments. I’d also really appreciate a recipe rating and would love to see your recreations – just tag @AlphaFoodie.
Pineapple Peel Tea
Ingredients
- 17 cups water
- 1 pineapple large, the peel and core
- 2 oranges any variety
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon turmeric grated
- 3 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or fresh black pepper (for absorbing turmeric nutrients)
- 2 sprigs rosemary or thyme, basil, lemon thyme, etc.
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 tablespoon honey optional, can be added in teaspoons when serving the tea. OR maple syrup for vegan.
Instructions
Step 1: Clean the pineapple
- It's essential to clean the pineapple skin thoroughly. You can do this by scrubbing the pineapple thoroughly with a vegetable brush. I like to do a vinegar soak – which helps to remove bacteria and pesticides from the skin.Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the pineapple body and add 1-2 tablespoon of vinegar – this shouldn't affect the pineapple's flavor.Allow it to soak for between 20-30 minutes, then rinse well with clean water.
Step 2: Remove the peel
- Pat the rinsed pineapple dry and then remove the peel with a sharp paring knife. You can also use the pineapple core.The pineapple flesh can be eaten as a snack or stored in the fridge/freezer to make smoothies.
Step 3: Prepare the remaining ingredients
- Prepare the ginger and turmeric roots by washing and peeling them and then grating them using a garlic grating dish or a fine grater. Do this step with gloves on as the turmeric WILL stain your skin.You can alternatively slice them and slightly 'bruise' the pieces by bashing with the knife handle's hilt, but I find that the flavors infuse much better when grated.
- Juice the lemon and oranges.
Step 4: Brew the pineapple tea
- Add all of the ingredients (except the honey) into a large pot with water and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for an hour – the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will become.
Step 5: Sieve and decant the pineapple skin tea
- Allow the tea to cool down slightly before you sieve it and transfer it to bottles.Optionally, forego the sieve and remove the large pieces of pineapple skin and the rosemary. However, you will then have some remaining pulp in the drink.
- You can add a little sweetener now (I used honey), or just before serving it, or omit this entirely.The pineapple tea is then ready to drink immediately or store for later.
How To Serve
- You can enjoy the pineapple tea warm or cold. It can be enjoyed alone or added to other drinks, including lemonade and cocktails in place of pineapple juice.
How To Store
- Fridge: Store the leftover pineapple skin tea in airtight glass containers (so they don't stain) in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.Freeze: The pineapple tea can also be frozen into ice-cubes to add to drinks or thaw and consume for between 1-2 months.
Notes
- Make sure to thoroughly wash the pineapple before using the pineapple peel (method included below).
- You can collect pineapple scraps in a bag in the freezer until you’re ready to make a batch of this pineapple tea.
- Add a pinch of black pepper to each serving of tea (you won’t taste it). This is needed to help our bodies fully absorb the turmeric nutrients.
- There’s no need to throw out the boiled pineapple skins – read the FAQ just above this recipe card on ways to use the leftover boiled ingredients.
Jess
This sounds delicious! Would you typically just drink one serving per day?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Jess,
Thank you and yes 🙂 but I’m sure it won’t be easy to stick to one serving. 😉
Amanda Beck
Help!!! Please!!! So I made your pineapple peel tea last night and it’s probably one of the most awesome things I’ve ever done. I could not get over the incredible smell, and after it simmered an hour, I tasted it and it blew my mind. I was so happy and excited. I turned the eye off to let it cool…AND FELL ASLEEPPPPPPP. So, it’s been sitting out from 10:30 on to 5:45 am. Is the whole thing spoiled now? Is it unsafe to drink? I am SO mad at myself!!! Thank you so much for getting back to me!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Amanda,
Oh no, I’m so sorry for only replying now. If your room temperature wasn’t too warm (above 21º Celsius), I’m sure it would still be fine. Did you end up throwing it away?
Sue
Make this every Sunday for the week. I love it. I use basil cloves and vanilla along with all of the other ingredients. My fiancé says it has the added bonus of making the house smell “really good”
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Sue! Adding basil cloves and vanilla sounds delicious.
Karen
I made this tea this evening and my husband and I loved it. We drank it warm and sweetened with honey. I did. It have fresh rosemary so I opted for fresh basil instead. It tasted great.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your lovely feedback, Karen! Glad you like this recipe and I hope you give some of my other recipes a try 🙂
Amanda
So I’ve been wanting to I try this. I finally have it started. But after wine I decided to be a witch with a cauldron and add the orange peels and then bananas with the peels because after much research I found that they are good for you too. My husband is a little worried looking at all this in the pot. I’m confident it will be good. If not I have more wine lol.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Amanda. Please let me know how it was 🙂
Naomi
I add fresh cilantro leaves near the end of the boiling period because of its health benefits and taste. There are so many interesting combinations one can use. Thanks for your recipe.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thanks for the tip, Naomi. Glad you like this recipe 🙂
Pam
Delicious and warming for winter! The cayenne reminds me of the zing you get from Mayan Eyes hot chocolate. Thank you for your practical and healthy-feeling recipe.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Pam 🙂
Peggy
To reap the benefits of this drink. Can this drink be consumed everyday or once a month. Like anything, too much of something is not good for you.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Peggy,
You can consume it daily.
Mgnamama
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne made the tea WAY too spicy.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for the feedback. Please feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.
Kristin
Hi! I am making this tea tomorrow – what exactly do I do with the oranges? Peel them and put the orange segments in there? Put them in whole with the peel?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Kristin,
The oranges and lemon are juiced. Then their juice is brewed with the rest of the ingredients.
Elise
I cut the oranges in half. Squeeze as much juice as I can into the pot of water with the pineapple skin the pineapple skin and then I dropped the whole Orange into the pot of water and boil it with the skin.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Great tips. Thanks, Elise!
Kay
Delicious! How often and how much should be consumed daily?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thanks, Kay! You can enjoy one serving a day.
Mag@burn
I love the recipe! I like to boil the pineapple skin and add couple green tea bags as my morning boost and now this recipe is my afternoon relaxing, thanks
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thanks for sharing. This sounds delicious.
Amber
Could this recipe be canned then?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Amber,
Yes, you can seal and pasteurize it to preserve it for longer.
Yasmin
Hi, can I used Turmeric powder for this? And how much? I don’t have fresh Turmeric 🙁
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Yasmin,
You can omit the turmeric or use about 1 Tbsp turmeric powder. 🙂
Elise
Fresh tumeric is easy to find in the grocery store
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thanks for your comment, Elise.
Celena Monn
I made this the other night and not as bad as I thought it would be. It’s a keeper. How many cups should one drink a day to be effective for gut cleaning?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Celena,
I’m glad you liked it. One serving (cup) a day would be sufficient, that is if you manage to only stick to one a day 😉
Ayna
I made it yesterday and it is so delicious! It is also a great idea in order not to waste the pineapple cores.
Thank you alot for the recipe.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Ayna. Glat you tried and liked this recipe 🙂
Cher
I don’t put all those ingredients. Every morning I have fruit for breakfast. I have a slice of pineapple with my fruits. I don’t peel the whole pineapple at once. I just cut a slice and put the peel from the slice in an insulated cup along with some cinnamon. I just fill the cup with boiling water, cover and leave it. Then at night for dinner, I just strain and drink without any other additions.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Cher. This is a great “hack”. Alternatively, you can keep the peel in the freezer until you have enough to make a big batch of the tea if wanted.
Soto
The cayenne pepper is very strong. I feel it on my throat. What did I do wrong?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi there,
If the cayenne pepper is too strong for you, you can always decrease the amount – use 1/4 or even 1/8 tsp. Or try black pepper the next time you make it.
I hope you give it another try! 🙂
Shelby
Very delicious. I grew up drinking this drink without knowing the health benefits of the pineapple skin.
We didn’t know about turmeric at that time so we made it with cinnamon and cloves.
Support @ Alphafoodie
There are so many things we still need to learn. 🙂 I’m glad you liked it, Shelby.
Donna Chenoweth
How often is this supposed to be consumed to cleanse the body?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Donna,
You can consume it daily.
fae
Interesting ! Would love to try them soon.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you, Fae. I hope you give this recipe a try soon.
V K
Want to try this. Can powder tumeric be used if don’t have any fresh? Also, lemon juice if no lemon?
Thanks!
Support @ Alphafoodie
It’s best to use fresh turmeric and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If not available, you can use about 1 Tbsp turmeric powder and 3 Tbsp lemon juice. I hope this helps.
Soph
I now buy the pineapple for the skin and eventually eat the fruit as well. Super recipe! Made it at least 15 times. I also plant the top of the pineapple afterwards. It’s addictive
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Soph! So happy you are enjoying the recipe!
Nelda Garza
How often should I drink this? Every day ?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Nelda,
Yes, you can drink it every day if wanted.