The pineapple on pizza debate is a legendary controversy. You’re either a pizza originalist, or, you’re on the right side, and love to eat adventurously. 

   What do chocolate covered-pretzels, cheese and guava pastelitos, prosciutto-wrapped melon, and salted caramel have in common? Two words: contrasting flavors. The combination of sweet and salty is universally loved, and for good reason. The combo prevents sickly sweet flavors or overly savory elements from completely taking over a dish. If you love any of those iconic combos, then pineapple on pizza is a no-brainer. 

   While pineapple doesn’t really run the risk of being overly sweet and pizza isn’t an outstandingly salty dish, they do create that golden balance when they come together. Whether you like a Hawaiian pizza or simply a cheese pizza topped with golden pineapple nuggets, the flavors explode in your mouth. The acidity of the tomato sauce plus the saltiness of the cheese are balanced out by the sweet, juicy pineapple flavor–if you can’t decide whether to satisfy your sweet tooth or your cravings for something savory, pizza with pineapple is the perfect compromise. 

   Even if you’re strictly a savory pizza lover, here’s another reason to try out pizza with pineapple–pineapples may add a little bit of nutrition to the dish. Although enjoying a meal shouldn’t always revolve about nutrition or being healthy, why not take it when it comes? Pineapples are rich in vitamin C, which is essential to boost your immune system and energy, as well as other minerals and antioxidants that aid in digestion (which may be essential for lactose-intolerant pizza lovers!)

   To take your pineapple pizza to the next level, try it with a side of ranch. The creaminess, saltiness, and tanginess of the sauce complement the sweet pineapple, acidic tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella. As the saying goes, “diversity is the spice of life”, and that goes especially for food–and especially for such an iconic and often-consumed food like pizza. We play around with toppings (pepperoni, olives, peppers, etc), crust (thin and crispy, doughy and chewy, cauliflower), and styles (Detroit, Chicago, New York), and sauces (alfredo, tomato, pesto). So why not add pineapple into the mix? 

   Even if you can’t be convinced by the sweet and salty balance, nutritional boost, or diversity factor, give pineapple pizza a try. You never know what you might like: who knows, maybe you might change and switch over to the other–better–side.