• Pears are considered a low-glycemic fruit. Each has about 26 net grams of carbohydrates, but due to the high fiber content in pears, they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly and therefore have a low glycemic load.
• Compared to eating packaged treats full of refined sugars that can negatively affect blood sugar levels, eating pears instead is a great way to appease your “sweet tooth” naturally without negative impacts.
• Like all fruits, eating pears can provide you with a quick energy boost before exercising.
Pears are a natural source of fructose and glucose that are quickly used by the body to improve physical performance, concentration, and endurance, making pears great pre-workout snacks.
• You also need glucose after a workout to replenish glycogen stores and help heal muscle tears, so consider having a pear along with a healthy source of protein as a post-exercise meal or snack.
9.- Helps maintain bone health
• Pears are a good source of two key nutrients for skeletal health: vitamin K and boron. Vitamin K deficiency puts you at great risk for bone-related disorders, as it works with other essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous to prevent bone breakdown.
• In fact, some experts even consider vitamin K to be potentially the most important nutrient out there for fighting osteoporosis – vitamin K even builds bones better than calcium.
• Boron uses include the ability to help maintain strong bones by adding bone mineral density, preventing osteoporosis, treating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and improving strength and muscle mass.
Boron is often underutilized in terms of preventing osteoporosis, but many health experts consider it an important part of preventing age-related bone disorders.
Pear history and interesting facts
The pear is native to the temperate coastal regions of Western Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
Pear trees can withstand cold temperatures, which is one of the reasons they are harvested year-round and grown on almost every continent on Earth.
Records show that pears date back thousands of years, especially to Asia and to parts of eastern and northern Europe around the Swiss lakes.
The pear tree first originated in present-day western China, in the foothills of the Tian Shan mountain range.
The pear was also cultivated by the ancient Romans, who ate the fruit raw or cooked, just like apples, and liked to stew it with honey to create a simple dessert.
Over many years, pears have spread across all continents, and today it is believed that there are more than 300 species related to two original wild subspecies.
Today, pears are grown mainly in China, the United States, Argentina, Italy, and Turkey.
Some types of pears found in markets around the world today include Bosc pears, Bartlett pears, Anjou pears, European pears, Manchurian pears, Almond leaf pears, Chinese pears, Algerian pears, Plymouth pears, and many more.
Although they all differ somewhat in terms of taste and appearance, the nutritional benefits of pear for all types are quite similar.
From a botanical point of view, the pear fruit is the upper end of the flower stalk of the pear plant and within its edible flesh are five “cartilaginous carpels”, known as the “nucleus.”
This makes pears very similar to apples, and depending on the color of both, sometimes you can’t even tell them apart.
An important difference between pears and apples is that the pulp of the pear contains stone cells (also called “grains”), whereas apples do not.
Because pears and apples have similar molecular qualities and fiber contents, we see that the nutritional benefits of pears closely resemble those of apples.
How to buy and use pears
Whenever possible, look for organic pears. As with apples, pears are commonly sprayed with high levels of pesticides and common chemicals, putting them high on the Environmental Working Group’s list of organic fruits and vegetables to buy.
The latest Environmental Working Group report on the “Pesticide Buyer’s Guide” lists pears as one of the 12 foods that most frequently contain pesticide residues.
Buying organic pears reduces your risk of exposure to unwanted pesticides, pollutants, and other potential risks associated with agricultural chemicals.
Pears can be consumed fresh, cooked, juiced, frozen, and dried.
Pear juice is a great way to sweeten smoothies and recipes without adding refined sugar.
Pear juice is used in many ways around the world, including fermenting it to make “parade” or hard pear cider.
Skip the store-bought pear juices (or any fruit juices), which are generally pasteurized, loaded with sugar, and without most of the pear nutritional benefits described above.
Instead, just make your own by blending or squeezing a whole pear.
While pear juice can be a good addition to recipes on occasion, remember that the skin and pulp are where the fiber is – so try to eat them as often as possible.
After purchasing pears, keep in mind that they ripen at room temperature.
They ripen faster if placed next to bananas in a fruit bowl due to the chemicals that bananas give off, but if you want them to ripen slowly, you can put them in the fridge (which is useful if you buy a lot at once and can’t use them on time).
Pears are ripe when the flesh around the stem appears soft under gentle pressure.
Once ripe, try to eat them within two to three days before they start to go bad, or freeze them for later use.
Healthy pear recipes
What can be done with pears? Like apples, pears are very versatile when it comes to creating sweet and savory recipes.
In addition to eating fresh pears, add them to a roasted chicken or turkey with onions and herbs for extra flavor, add them to your morning oatmeal or smoothie, top a salad with pear pieces, or add them to homemade muffins or low-sugar desserts.
Have you ever used applesauce instead of extra butter, sugar, or oil when baking? Well, you can do the same with mixed pears.
Cranberry Pear Salad Recipe
This Cranberry Pear Salad recipe is easy to make and tastes great.
Salads can be boring, but these ingredients bring new flavors and ideas to the dish.
Total time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1–2
INGREDIENTS:
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of raw honey
• 1 large pinch of sea salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 5 cups of mixed lettuce
• 2 pears, thinly sliced vertically
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup raw goat cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Put the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a jar with a lid and shake well.
• Gently toss the lettuce with the sliced pears in a large salad bowl. (Optional: Grill the pear slices briefly.)
• Add enough dressing to cover.
• Top with dried cranberries and goat cheese.
Here are some ways to try to use pears in recipes at home:
• You can also add a little pear to any of these Green Smoothie recipes
• Make a sweet crepe for breakfast (or dinner) using pears in this Breakfast Quesadilla Recipe
• Use pears instead of apples in this Apple Crunch Recipe or Apple Kale Quinoa Salad Recipe.
Side effects of eating pears
Pears are often recommended by health professionals because they are considered hypoallergenic fruit, so compared to many other fruits (such as stone fruit or berries), someone is much less likely to suffer from digestive problems or reactions when eating a pear.
This makes pears a good choice even for babies and for making homemade baby food.
Although pears have multiple benefits, like all fruits, they contain sugar and are best eaten in moderation, as part of a diet that is also full of vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.
The amount of fruit that is right for you depends on a few factors such as your level of physical activity, history of medical conditions, and current weight, so plan to eat pears (and all fruit) in moderation balanced by other low-sugar foods.
To get the most health benefits from pears without consuming excess sugar, always take them with your skin and limit the amount of pear juice you have, which eliminates fiber.
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