It was not easy to buy a delicious pineapple more than 10 years ago. The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves.

The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world’s best-selling pineapple variety.

In nutrition it was all good news too. This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.

Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte’s attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out of the market.

Four Great Restaurants in Bologna, Italy

If you’re looking for a restaurant in Bologna, don’t miss out on our picks of the best places to eat in the city.

Sfoglia Rina     

Tradition and innovation are all on the menu at Sfoglia Rina, along-standing family restaurant near Bologna’s famous Two Towers. Rina was started as a fresh pasta (意大利面食) shop back in the 1960s, and the pasta is all still handmade. Ingredients are carefully and sustainably sourced, and pasta-making classes are periodically offered for kids and adults.

Via Castiglione, 5/b, 40124 Bologna

Zerocinquantino

Aperitivo is typically a pre-dinner snack and drink, but at Zerocinquantino, you may make it a meal as many people in Bologna do. Baskets of local bread are served with the region’s famous meat and cheeses, and a long list of wines is available in glasses and bottles. The service is fast, and the atmosphere is young and modern.

Via Pescherie Vecchie, 3/E, 40124 Bologna

Trattoria Da Vito

It’s a legendary gathering place for Bologna*s artists and educated people. The inside hasn’t been updated since Vito left the building long before; the menu hasn’t changed. Meals are traditional and extremely cheap, with nothing priced over € 10.

Via Mario Musolesi, 9a, 40138 Bologna

Drogheria della Rosa

With tables spreading out under Bologna’s medieval porticos (中世纪门廊), Drogheria della Rosa is a favorite for the best atmosphere in Bologna. Fortunately, that atmosphere is matched by excellent food and service, both provided by the chef and owner Emanuele Addone, who personally visits each table. The menu is a mix of traditional Bolognese food and dishes from around Italy, so you’re sure to find something you like as long as you have enough money.

Via Cartoleria, 10b, 40124 Bologna

Chocolates, syrup（糖浆）, cream on top, many of the hot drinks we consume even more at this time of year certainly sound sugary, but just how much sugar they contain might come as a shock.

The health campaign group Action on Sugar has found that Starbucks hot chocolate made with milk has almost 94 grams of sugar. That equals 23 teaspoons. At Caffe Nero, the salted hot chocolate packs in almost 60 grams of sugar, about 15 leaspoons. And Casta’s cream latte（拿铁）has 32 grams of sugar, that’s 8 teaspoons.

The drink makers won’t have those details listed next to the price. If known, it would be quite alarming. That’s how capitalism works. The capitalists have to get people addicted to certain things to keep selling it more. If told the amount of sugar contained，many would take hot drinks just as a treat not on a daily basis. Some drinks have actually reduced in sugar over the past few years，but many more haven’t. The most sugary seasonal drink was from Starbucks with more than 14 teaspoons of sugar. Other companies like breakfast cereal manufacturers and yogurt manufacturers are reducing sugar. And so is soft drinks，yet the milk based drinks, milk shakes，hot chocolates and lattes just don’t seem to have changed in the same way.

And while some companies are actually being really responsible reducing their sugar, some have actually increased that in the last two years which just seems ridiculous. Coffee chains do offer low-calorie alternatives. But Action on Sugar are still calling for more tax on hot coffee drinks. Not much of a Christmas present for the coffee chains, but maybe a gift in the long term for our health.