Pears

Sammi Williams
Mar 31
2 min read

So here I go again to my trusty resource Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal - Reader's Digest....

Did you know that the pear is called the 'butter fruit'? Europeans call them this because of it's smooth texture and that they make an ideal snack, dessert or even a sweet or spicy side dish. One medium pear provides about 6g of fibre and I didn't know that canned pears lose most of their vitamin C due to the peeling and heating process.

The health benefits are:

Helps lower cholesterol levels as they are loaded with several types of fibre, including pectin which is a soluble fibre that helps control cholesterol levels.
The cellulose in pears helps to relieve constipation and this is an insoluble fibre which is a bulk forming fibre and has a mild laxative effect helping to promote that normal, regular healthy bowel function.
Helps to lower blood pressure as they are loaded with potassium and this helps to keep blood pressure under control.
They may lower the risk of diabetes as they are a good source of antioxidants and that may be a good thing for people concerned about type 2 diabetes. According to an American study in 2012, eating anthocyanin-rich foods such as pears more than five times a week was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

There are some health risks as there are with many things in life... people can have allergic reactions to dried pears in particular due to the sulfites which can bring on asthma attacks or allergic reactions to susceptible people. And tooth decay can develop from dried pears as they produce a high sugar content.

Eating tips:

Add chunks to salads with crumbled cheese
Cook pears into a chunky sauce seasoned with nutmeg
Poach pears in pomegranate juice

Buying tips:

Once ripened, pears are highly perishable
Pears are ripe when the skin is less shiny, the flesh at the stem gives way slightly when you press and it has a slight fragrance
Choose pears with smooth skin and avoid any that are dark or bruised

Storing tips: