PEARS

The Benefits of Eating Pears

Pears are a nutritious source of fiber.

A fresh, juicy pear is a fall treat you might anticipate all year, and when you eat one, you're doing something good for your health. Pears are an impressive source of fiber, and they also contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals that keep you healthy. Pears come in a range of colors and they're inexpensive, making them a smart addition to your healthy eating plan.

Digestive Benefits

One medium-sized pear contains 5.5 grams of fiber toward your daily goal of 21 to 38 grams. When you eat plenty of fiber, your digestive system works the way it's supposed to. Fiber helps your body absorb the vitamins and minerals from your food. It also helps prevent and relieve constipation and can keep you from developing painful hemorrhoids as well.

Nutritional Benefits

A medium-sized pear supplies 212 milligrams of potassium. Potassium is a mineral that helps your heart beat normally and keeps your muscles working the way they are supposed to. The same pear contains 7.5 milligrams of vitamin C, which is about 10 percent of your daily needs. Vitamin C helps prevent infection and keeps your immune system strong. Pears also supply a good dose of vitamin K to help clot your blood, as well as vitamin A for your eyes.

Health Benefits

The fiber in a pear helps keep your heart healthy and might reduce your risk of certain types of cancer as well. A pear a day might also keep you from having a stroke. A 2011 article published by the American Heart Association reports that eating one pear a day can reduce your risk of stroke by as much as 52 percent. Pears might also cut your risk of dying from heart disease. A 2007 article published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" notes that the flavonoids in pears might lower your risk of heart disease, as well as death associated with heart disease.

Eating Pears

Fresh pears are your healthiest choice, but canned pears can also be beneficial to your health. If you eat canned pears, choose versions packed in 100 percent fruit juice rather than syrup because they contain no added sugar. Chop a pear into bite-sized pieces and add it to a fruit salad, or stir the pieces into a carton of low-fat yogurt. Replace the jelly in your peanut butter sandwich with thin slices of pear, or add pear slices to a tossed green salad. Cut a pear into quarters and brush it with a small amount of butter. Sprinkle the pear with cinnamon and nutmeg and broil it until it's soft for a tasty and nutritious dessert.

Cancer Prevention 
Pears can also protect us from varying types of cancer. In addition to binding to cholesterol, the fiber in pears can also bind to and help remove cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, thus reducing risk of colon cancer. Studies have also shown that eating fiber-rich fruits such as pears can reduce risk of break cancer by 34 percent in post-menopausal women.

Hypoallergenic Fruit 

Although few studies have been done on the subject, doctors generally consider pears to be a hypoallergenic fruit because they are less likely than other fruits to produce an allergic response when eaten. For this reason, pears are generally considered “safe” and are often one of the first fruits given to infants.

Control Diabetes 

Because they are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, pears make a smart snack for those with diabetes. The bloodstream slowly absorbs a pear’s carbs (just about 26 grams per pear), preventing a spike in blood sugar and helping to control blood glucose levels. Lightly sweet, pears can also satisfy the sweet tooth in a healthier way than other sweets.

Eating Pears

The typical pear season runs from August to October, but with so many varieties of pear, you’re likely to find some variety in season where you are. Pears ripen from the inside out, so to tell if your pear is ready to eat or not, check the neck (skinniest part of the pear) by applying gentle pressure. Along with apples, pears are part of the rose family, and like apples, many of the health benefits of pears can be found in the fruit’s skin—meaning for maximum health benefits, eat pears with the skin left on.