There are pineapples—and there are gold pineapples.

These gold versions are “super” fruits that have up to four times the vitamin C of white-flesh pineapples (the Champaka variety), plus nutrients like beta carotene, manganese (a mineral that helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates), and bromelain (a protein-digesting enzyme found only in pineapples).

Grown in Costa Rica, the intensely sweet gold pineapples are the variety of choice in H-E-B stores. White-flesh varieties are more seasonal because customer demand for gold is so high, says Aaron. But that great flavor takes time: a total of 18 months to grow a single pineapple. “They’re sweeter and have lower acid, so they’re fantastic for marinating meat,” he says. “They’re easy to grow—they just take time.”

Pineapples are ripe when they start to develop more color between the “eyes”; if the fruit looks green, check the bottom. If that is yellow or orange and smells sweet, the pineapple is ripe and ready to eat. The spiky exterior makes actually getting to that juicy fruit seem intimidating, but not to worry: H-E-B offers coring stations in many stores. Just pick the pineapple you want and ask an H-E-B partner to core it for you.

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