Pineapple on pizza, one of the most controversial topics amongst pizza lovers since 1962, when it was created by Sam Panopoulos.
The controversial pizza has been a source of disgust among many for decades, yet a delicacy to others. Many local and mainstream pizza places feature this unique topping on their menus. However, the question stands: should it really even be there?
After going around campus, UNLV students CJ Depauw, Alexander Bagrensky, Jalen Hamilton and Gonzo Hernandez weighed in on this particular food war.
“Okay, so it’s not bad by any means, but it feels cursed to do it,” said Bagrensky. “Pizza is supposed to be for lunch or dinner, not dessert, and since pineapple is a super sweet fruit it contradicts what pizza really is. At that point, it becomes a fruit tart.”
While some might believe that pineapple on pizza shouldn’t exist, there is a massive amount of people who believe that the sweet topping indeed deserves to be on pizza, and Depauw is one of them.
“Pineapple does belong on pizza because it makes pizza less boring,” said Depauw. “Some people can’t handle sweet and savory flavors together; those people don’t know what’s good.”
However, there are people like UNLV student Hamilton and myself who believe that pineapple should not be allowed anywhere near a pizza.
“I do not think pineapples belong on pizza because it gives a weird taste to it,” said Hamilton. “Pineapples are great, just not on pizza.”
In a recent poll done by the official Scarlet & Gray Instagram, it was found that from the 45 total votes, 60 percent of voters said pineapple shouldn’t be on pizza and 40 percent said it should.
“Pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza,” said Hernandez. “When I think of pizza I think of jalapenos and pepperoni, not a sweet topping like pineapple. Sweetness shouldn’t be tasted on a pizza.”
Pineapple is in fact sweet. For example, one cup of pineapple chunks has 16 grams of sugar in it, while one slice of pizza has around 3.8 grams of sugar in it. This means that it would take around 4.2 slices of pizza to get to 16 grams of sugar.
Pizza is a very savory food traditionally, and putting pineapple on top creates a very unappealing combination. While a few people may still continue to pile on the pineapple, the majority will stick with a savory, saucy pizza.
