Pear is a medium-sized fruit that first originated in Europe. It is believed to be the favourite food of the Greeks and Romans. While its sweet, juicy flavour makes it a perfect addition to your diet, the amazing pears nutrition top-up the benefits. So, what really are the essential pear fruit benefits? Let’s understand them by first diving deeper into understanding what pears really are.
What are Pears?
Pear, scientifically known as Pyrus communis L, is a fruit of the Rosaceae family. The medium-sized fruit has a mildly sweet flavour. There are more than 3000 known varieties of pears worldwide. They all differ in shape, taste and crispness.
Its classic ‘pear shape’ is elongated and bottom-heavy. The pear tree grows best in cool areas and takes about 3-10 years before it begins to flower and bear fruits.
As a pear tree is not self-pollinating, it requires more than two pear trees, each of a different variety, to bear fruits. The pear fruit ripens best when off the tree. Therefore, its harvesting time is crucial. Also, the fruit ripens inside out; therefore, it’s often confused as unripe or flavourless if not fully ripened. But despite these shortcomings, pear benefits are innumerable and matchless.
Read on for pear fruit nutrition and the amazing health benefits of pears.
Pear Fruit Nutrition
Pears pack a unique combination of antioxidants, plant compounds and dietary fibre. The fruit is fat-free and cholesterol-free with high water content. Each medium-sized pear fruit packs around 100 calories. In addition to this, it contains a vast range of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making it super healthy. Pears nutrition includes:
Every 100 gm serving of pear confers:
- Calories – 57
- Fat – 0.16 gm
- Carbohydrates – 15 gm
- Sugar – 9.6 gm
- Fibre – 3.1 gm
- Proteins- 0.38 gm
- Vitamin A – 1 mcg
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine ) – 0.012 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin ) – 0.026 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.026 mg
- Vitamin C – 4.4 mg
- Folate – 6 mcg
- Tryptophan Amino Acids – 0.002 g
- Isoleucine Amino Acid – 0.014 g
- Leucine Amino Acid – 0.021 g
- Methionine Amino Acid – 0.002 g
- Valine Amino Acid – 0.019 g
- Phenylalanine Amino Acid – 0.013 g
- Histidine Amino Acid – 0.002 g
- Threonine Amino Acid – 0.013 g
Pear fruit also contains small amounts of Vitamin K, potassium, copper, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Pear Fruit Benefits
In prehistoric times, the pear was seen as a medicinal plant. This was because of its beneficial properties linked to its unique nutrition composition. The health benefits of pears include:
1. Helps Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is a normal immune response. But chronic inflammation is linked to several adverse health conditions. Pears are a rich source of flavonoids which act as antioxidants for the body. These help fight inflammation and reduce the risk of various diseases. Furthermore, rich amounts of vitamins C and K along with minerals like copper, confer anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
2. May Help Protect from Cancers
Pears are rich in plant compounds like anthocyanin and cinnamic acid. These compounds are known for their anti-carcinogenic activities. A diet rich in these compounds confers protective benefits against cancers of the lungs, stomach and bladder. For women, the benefits of eating pears include protection against breast and ovarian cancers.
3. A Powerful Antioxidant
Plant compounds present in pears possess antioxidant properties. These help decrease oxidative stress, which has harmful effects on the human body. Pear fruit nutrition is also rich in antioxidants which help reduce the free radicals which are produced when the body converts food into energy. The increased levels of free radicals circulating in the body are linked to a higher risk of cancer.
4. Aids Healthy Digestion
Pear fruit is exceptionally rich in fibre. The high fibre content ensures regular and adequate bowel movement. This ensures the removal of toxins through stools, detoxifying the body. Furthermore, the soluble fibre present in pears acts as food for good gut bacteria. This improves gut health and improves the digestive system. A healthy digestive system allows better assimilation of nutrients from the food, improving overall health.
5. Helps Control Diabetes
Pears contain a high amount of anthocyanin, an antioxidant that lowers diabetes risk. Furthermore, pear benefits in managing diabetes are profound as it has a low glycemic index. As the sugar in the fruit is not digested instantly, it helps regulate blood sugar levels. Moreover, the high fibre content slows down the digestion process. This gives the body more time to break down food and absorb carbohydrates.
6. Aids Weight Loss
Pears are rich in fibre which helps you remain full and satiated for a long time. This cuts down on unwanted munching, which is directly linked to weight gain. Being a low-calorie food, it is a perfect addition to weight loss diets. Furthermore, pears aid in healthy digestion, which is crucial for effective weight loss.
7. Improves Heart Health
Pear fruit nutrition is high in procyanidin, an antioxidant conferring pro-heart benefits. High levels of procyanidin in the blood reduce stiffness in the heart tissue. It also works to reduce levels of LDL or bad cholesterol and increase the levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. Moreover, the peel of the pear fruit packs high amounts of antioxidants called quercetin. Quercetin reduces blood pressure levels and promotes heart health.
8. Provides Essential Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The body requires 20 amino acids to perform different functions. Of these, nine are not produced within the body. These are to be sourced through a healthy diet; hence these are called essential amino acids. Invariably, only animal protein is considered complete. But pear fruit nutrition packs all the nine essential amino acids.
9. Strengthens Bones
Pear fruit helps maintain a normal pH balance in the body. The high acid content in the body leads to bone erosion, leading to osteoporosis. Furthermore, pears are naturally rich in calcium. The mineral is absorbed by the bones, making them strong.
10. Low Allergy Risk
Pear fruit is one of the few foods that do not cause an allergic reaction. This makes the consumption of pear fruit safe.
11. Boosts Immune Health
Pears pack high amounts of copper, the mineral known to fight infections in the body. It also contains Vitamin C, which helps in the production of white blood cells, strengthening the body’s natural defence mechanism.
12. Promotes Eye Health
Lutein and zeaxanthin, two plant compounds present in the peel of the pear fruit, play a crucial role in preventing age-related loss of vision.
13. Increases Energy Levels
Pears have high glucose content. The body requires minimum time to convert glucose into energy. Thus, the benefits of eating pears can be seen in an instant energy boost.
14. Improves Skin Health
The high fibre content, a handful of antioxidants, and packed with essential vitamins and minerals keep the body healthy. Any kind of nutrient imbalance in the body is visible as skin changes. Besides providing nutrition to the skin, it also slows down the ageing process.
15. Healthy and Nourished Hair
Fully ripened pears are rich in sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol. Sorbitol acts as the food for hair roots. It nourishes the scalp and keeps the hair strands healthy and lustrous. Moreover, vitamin C and antioxidant-rich pear fruit cut down the risk of premature greying of hair.
16. Expedites Wound Healing Process
Pear fruit possesses antimicrobial properties, cutting down the risk of infections. Furthermore, its high antioxidant content promotes the production of connective tissues. This fastens up the natural wound healing mechanism.
17. Helps Manage High Fevers
The plant compounds in pear juice have cooling properties, which can help lower high-grade fever. The high antioxidant content also stimulates the immune system to manage high fevers more effectively.
Precautions While Eating Pear Fruit
Although pear fruit is considered to be the safest fruit, weaning infants must not be fed on mashed pear fruit as few acids in the pear fruit may harm their tender digestive system. Moreover, excessive consumption of pears can worsen symptoms in people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Conclusion
Pears are a superfood containing high amounts of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds. The pear fruit benefits include boosting the immune system, supporting gut health and strengthening heart tissues and bones. It also protects against a range of cancers.
The health benefits of pears also extend to healthy skin and well-nourished hair. Pear fruit is one of the rare sources of plant-based complete protein. It packs all the nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce. It is best to eat the food whole, as its peel too packs a majority of the pear fruit nutrition.
