An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but is our obsession with the crisp, juicy fruit overshadowing other fruits? We tend to opt for apple pie over pear crumble, but there are some amazing health benefits of pears that you should know about.
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Here's how pear nutrition stacks up, along with four science-backed health benefits of pears that'll make you head for the pear section the next time you're at the grocery store.
Pear Nutrition
Pears are a delicious, low-calorie snack, and are chock-full of hard-to-get nutrients. Here's the nutritional breakdown for one medium-sized pear, per the USDA:
Pears deliver a hefty amount of fiber, which helps keep you full and keeps your heart and gut healthy. Pears are also relatively low in calories and have no added sugar. Pair your pear with protein—think cheese or nuts—for a well-rounded healthy snack.
Pears Are Good for Your Digestion
Boasting 6 g of fiber, pears have more fiber than a 1-cup serving of kale. From helping you maintain a healthy weight to reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, eating enough fiber is integral to a well-balanced diet. Not to mention, we're very thankful for the digestive benefits a high-fiber diet provides (fiber makes your poop softer and bulkier, making it easier to go), and we love that we can get over 20% of our daily recommended value from a pear, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Pears Have a Low Glycemic Index
Even though pears have some natural sugar, their high fiber content and rich antioxidant profile ensures your blood sugar won't soar after eating one (which makes them a perfect on-the-go snack for people with diabetes). For example, a 2023 research article in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that people who regularly ate whole fruit, including pears, significantly reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes. Plus, pears' low glycemic index means you won't be hungry minutes after snacking on one.
Pears Are Good for Your Heart
A 2022 review in BMC Medicine confirms what many previous studies had shown: Fiber plays a role in decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol, which decreases your risk of developing heart disease. Since pears are high in fiber and potassium—which helps counteract excess sodium, according to the American Heart Association—they're a great snack to incorporate into a heart-healthy diet.
Pears Are Free Radical Fighters
The vitamin C in pears fights off free radicals. This is great news, as free radicals can put your cells under oxidative stress and lead to chronic disease, per a 2020 review in Frontiers in Physiology. This means eating pears—and other foods high in antioxidants—can reduce your risk of developing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and even neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
The Bottom Line
Pears are good for your digestion, heart and blood glucose levels. They're also free radical warriors. Eat pears raw or try cooking with them in recipes like Baked Oatmeal with Pears, Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Quinoa Salad and Pear Custard Pie.
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This article provides a nutritional breakdown of the pear and an in-depth look at its possible benefits. It also gives tips on incorporating more pears into the diet and lists some potential health risks of consuming them.
As part of a balanced, nutritious diet, consuming pears could support weight loss and reduce a person’s risk of cancer , diabetes , and heart disease .
Pears are rich in essential antioxidants, plant compounds, and dietary fiber. They are also free from fat and cholesterol. They can benefit a person’s digestion, cholesterol levels, and overall wellbeing. One medium pear provides around 100 calories.
People who wish to add pears to their diet should ask a local grocer about the best type for their tastes.
Some of the more common types of this fruit in the United States include:
There are over 3,000 types of pears worldwide. They vary in size, shape, sweetness, and crispness.
Apples are mainly high in potassium. They also contain quercetin, catechin, chlorogenic acid, and anthocyanin, plant compounds that provide additional health benefits.
Nutritionists say that 100 g of a skin-on gala apple contains:
Pears, especially those with red skin, also contain carotenoids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. These are plant compounds that offer several health benefits and act as antioxidants.
Consuming all types of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of several health conditions, and pears are no exception.
They provide a significant amount of fiber and other essential nutrients and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain gut conditions.
In the sections below, we look at the specific health benefits of pears.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed dietary guidelines that include recommendations for daily nutritional goals.
They recommend that males between the ages of 14 and 50 years consume 30.8 to 33.6 g of dietary fiber per day, depending on age. For females between ages 14 and 50 years, the recommended intake is 25.2 to 28 g per day, depending on age.
For adults over the age of 50, the recommendation is 28 g per day for males and 22.4 g per day for females.
Increasing fruit and vegetable intake is a fairly easy way to boost fiber intake. For example, just one medium-sized pear provides 5.5 g of fiber, which is roughly 22% of the daily recommended intake for females under the age of 50 years.
Pears also contain a soluble fiber called pectin, which nourishes gut bacteria and improves gut health.
In fact, the USDA suggests sufficient fiber intake promotes healthy bowel function and can increase feelings of fullness after a meal. It may also lower a person’s risk of heart disease and reduce their total cholesterol levels.
Improved fullness after meals can support weight loss, as a person will feel less of an urge to snack between meals. A 2015 study found a link between increased fiber intake and improved weight loss for people with obesity.
Also, a 2020 review of studies in humans found that dietary fiber may play a role in regulating the immune system and inflammation. It might also decrease the risk of inflammation-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
Diverticulitis occurs when bulging sacs in the lining of the large intestine, called diverticulosis, develop infection and inflammation.
A 2020 review suggested that a high fiber intake of at least 30 g per day can reduce the risk of diverticular disease. However, further research is necessary on the effects of different sources of fiber and diverticulosis risk.
It is also not clear how fiber reduces the risk of diverticulosis, so more studies in this area are necessary.
A 2019 study on pears suggested that people with metabolic syndrome who ate two pears per day for 12 weeks saw a modest decrease in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Regular, adequate bowel movements are crucial for the daily removal of toxins through bile and stools.
Pears have high water content — this helps keep stools soft and flushes the digestive system of toxins.
A 2015 systematic review of the health benefits of pears suggested that their laxative effect comes from their high fiber and fructose content. Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar that occurs in most fruits.
Pears contain high levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and copper. These chemicals counter the effects of free radicals, protecting cells from the damage they can cause.
Free radicals develop when the body converts food to energy, and they can contribute to cancer growth.
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