Week-12

Why is Pineapple on Pizza So Controversial? Unmasking the Truth!

Hi Guys! Today, I'm in such a good mood, and I'm very excited! Yay for excitement! My birthday is actually coming up very soon, and I'm very excited to celebrate it and do all the fun stuff! On the topic of Faces of Silicon Valley, I present you to a new edition! Now before, I begin on this new edition, allow me to go on quite a few tangents! I've decided that for this week's post I'll also include our Faces of Silicon Valley News at the beginning as well! 

Faces of Silicon Valley News!! 

1) Tomorrow is September 1st!!!!!!!! Which means; new month, new interview!!! This is interview, that I have had ready for the last week or so, and now it's ready to publish! Again just as a reminder, please contact me if you'd like to be interviewed! Common Misconception, but you don't need to live in Silicon Valley or have any ties to it. Faces of Silicon Valley highlights stories in Silicon Valley, but we're open to connecting more communities together! So you can be interviewed, if you're a student, a worker, a cook, a young or old entrepreneur! We'd love to hear your story! Just contact us at my Contact Us page! 

2) Please feel free to comment your ideas, thoughts, comments, or just about anything appropriate! We're happy to connect with more people! If you or someone you know would like to be involved in Faces of Silicon Valley's Interview Process, just let us know, and we'll be happy to get back to you! 

3) Feel free to inform others about Faces of Silicon Valley, and the exciting posts, information, interviews, stories, and more that we share here! We'd love to gain a greater viewer following, so we can expand more! 

Here is are the tangents, not as many as I thought I would make, but this is it! 

1) Thank you so much for being so flexible with last week's blog post! Settling into school can be very challenging and an arduous task, so I took last week off and decided to go with a light blog post. If you'd like to check it out, be sure to check out Week 11, where I share my writing. So on busy weeks, like last week I'll tend to post pieces of my writing! This can be miscellaneous thoughts of mine, poems, stories, essays, or contest-winning pieces! Then you guys will post your ideas, thoughts, comments, and suggestions. This is great, because I'll get to connect with you guys and improve my writing. Feel free to share your own writing as well, and I'll be happy to give my suggestions and feedback! 

2) I know I've been introducing a lot of editions, which I've taken the liberty to label! So far I've come up with...

- Miscellaneous: These blog posts are more frequent and include informative posts; for reference check out my piece on palatal expanders, procrastination, a guide to the stock market, vacation trivia, and more!  

- Summer Vacation Series: There are only two parts! (Check it out! Week 5 & Week 7) This series covers my vacation plans from the Summer of 2024!

- Writing: This is for busy weeks as I mentioned earlier! 

- Trailblazers: This series started as a tribute to Rosalind Franklin, and many other people who have trailblazed paths in our modern-day society. This series only has one part, but I'll add to it! It's mostly for the weeks, when I don't have any ideas for a miscellaneous post! I found that our miscellaneous posts tend to have much more views and laughs! This is because miscellaneous has more variety and it covers A LOT of topics! 

Most of the time I do miscellaneous because that's the type of writing that naturally comes to me! But if you guys are interested in other editions like our Trailblazers' Series, please do let me know in the comments. Here at Faces of Silicon Valley, we have a couple goals and some of that includes

1) Creating & Connecting Communities

2) Doing out best to satisfy our viewers/readers! 

But anyways, today we're introducing a new segment/edition/series! It'll be called Unmasking the Truth! Today's truth will be...Why is Pineapple on Pizza Such A Controversial Topic???

So let's begin!! claps hands excitedly

So the question that has sparked world-wide debates; Is Pineapple on Pizza a Topping??? This question has sparked debates amongst food enthusiasts world-wide! The combination of sweet pineapple with a tasty pizza slice has become one of the most controversial culinary topics! 

As all fair judges, let's look at both sides!

Pineapple's Case:

So let's hear the case for pineapple. People who advocate for pineapple on pizza argue that the sweet and tangy fruit adds a refreshing flavor to the classic, savory, pizza slice. They also say that the contrast between the crust, cheese, and sauce with the sweetness of pineapple curates a nice balance. Additionally, some suggest that the tropical fruit's acidity can help cut through the richness of cheese and sauce.

No Pineapple Case: 

Now for the opposition's story. The opposition says that pineapple's significant, tangy flavor clashes the classic and savory flavors of pizza. They argue that the pineapple's sweetness is unsuitable with the classic Italian taste of pizza. Additionally, one of their stronger points points of the texture and consistency of the pineapple. These critics argue that the fruit's texture can be mushy when cooked. This can ruin the taste and texture of both the pizza and pineapple. Furthermore, these critics argue that pineapple is a tropic, exotic fruit while pizza is a traditional and savory Italian dish. This is their main point as they argue the taste can greatly contrast the intentions for pizza and pineapple.

Cultural Take: 

So I thought about both cases, and I decided we need to incorporate how culture can impact one's decision. Different countries and regions have different cultures and they all express different opinions on this topping. It's more generally accepted in North America where more people migrant from different countries. Like in the U.S there's a fusion of different foods and cultures. While in Europe, particularly Italy pizza is a special dish and pineapple as a topping is met with disdain.

The next thing I wanted to look at was the science behind pineapple on pizza. Often, I've been told chemistry is cooking, so obviously science must play a part. The way we percept our taste, our cultural history, and even neurobiology; they all must play a part. So let's dig deep, pun not intended. 

:)

 So neurobiology connecting to pineapple pizza? Let's begin! So for the neurobiological aspect of pineapple pizza, I decided to split into two parts. Individual variation and dopamine release. 

Individual Variation: Research has shown that the taste preferences of humans are often influenced by genetic factors, personal experiences, and the culture around them. This means what I might find delicious, you might find revolting. This has nothing to do with the dish itself, it has to do with our taste preferences. I might've been brought up in a place that enjoys pasta but also curries and chicken. You might've been brought up in a completely different place. Thus enhancing the differences in our taste preferences. So when we are presented with the same dish, but we have different backgrounds that influence our taste, we will most likely have different reactions and thoughts to the dish.

Now to the slightly more "sciency" part of this neurobiological aspect of the controversy behind pineapple on pizza. The dopamine release. Now before I explain more about the dopamine release, I should probably give us all a quick crash course on dopamine, for our readers who are unfamiliar with the concept. 

Crash Course on Dopamine: No, dopamine has nothing to do with the word "dope," but it does have to do with rewards. So you know how when you train a dog, you often have a reward system. If the dog sits, the dog gets a treat. Yay for the dog! Our brains are like that. Dopamine is our brain's reward system. When we do something that gives us enjoyment like tasting chocolate, receiving a medal, or watching our favorite movie, our brains release dopamine. This makes us feel good and often we are motivated to repeat that action. But like all things, dopamine needs to have moderation. Too little or too much dopamine can lead to problems like Parkinson's Disease or even addiction.

So that's kind of an overview of dopamine, but let me quickly delve into the "sciency" part of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which means it's a chemical messenger. Chemical messengers help cells in the brain communicate. Dopamine is part of a larger family of molecules called catecholamines.

Quick Mini Crash Course on Catecholamine: They're basically hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate the fight-or-flight response in our body. They are released in responses to stress, this includes dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. But if I were to get into all that right now, I'd probably be setting up a biology course a lot of mistakes, especially since I haven't even taken a biology course.

Anyways back to, Dopamine: The "Sciency" Part. According to my research, when certain neurons fire, they release dopamine into the synaptic cleft. I had no idea what that was, so I went ahead and searched it up. I found that a synaptic cleft is a small gap between neurons. This dopamine binds to receptors on neighboring neurons which can often lead to a change in events. 

So my crash course on dopamine feels a little off topics, so let's swerve back on topic! 

Dopamine Release Relating to Pineapple on Pizza: As I mentioned earlier dopamine can be released due to anything that causes us enjoyment. This can include eating your favorite candy or just enjoying food. Both of these activities are related to the release of dopamine. In some people, pineapple on pizza can lead to a dopamine release in some individuals. This leads to positive thoughts about the topping on pizza. While others may not enjoy it at all, so this again relates to our individual variation. Our taste preferences may have been more accustomed to liking pineapple on pizza, thus creating our enjoyment of it.

Finally, nutritional value! 

Nutrition Has Been Called to the Debate!

So nutrition is the last aspect we'll check out for pineapple on pizza. A lot of people are conscious about what they eat, whether it be for health or weight related reasons. But diet and what we eat definitely plays such a big role in our lives. While pineapple is a healthy fruit, adding it to pizza increases the overall sugar and calories presented in that dish. While the value of pizza can vary depending on the ingredients, most people would stray away from the added sugar and calorie values.  

Pineapple on Pizza is a debate amongst many. We checked out everyone's argument, the cultural take, the neurobiological aspect, and how nutrition places a thought in people's minds! I have yet to try it, but as soon as I try it, I'll let you guys know my thoughts. In the meanwhile please be sure to check out our Community Stories Page! And be sure to let others know about Faces of Silicon Valley, and please contact me if you or a friend would like to be interviewed. 

If you'd like a cleaner version of this debate, WITH PICTURES, check it out on my Medium Account: https://medium.com/@shivali.patra/why-is-pineapple-on-pizza-so-controversial-689d84e3794a

This week's comment of the week: Comment below, your thoughts on pineapple pizza!

Btw; comment on the week is something I'm hoping to start. We will connect communities this way, and ensure everyone has a voice! How does this work? Each week at the end of each post, I'll post a "comment prompt," respond to the comment prompt in the comments below! Then the next week, I'll pick the comment that inspired the most thought, and highlight it at the next week's blog post! Thanks Guys! And be sure to check back in for next week! 

And for more on dopamine and catecholamine; check out these links: