9 Surprising Health Benefits of Pears

Pears are a mildly flavoured, sweet fruit that many enjoy from late summer to winter. These soft and crunchy fruits are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients that our bodies need. Pears are a rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium, and copper. In addition, pear fruit is good for our health, benefits our kidneys, gut, and heart. Along with these, there are a lot of other pear benefits as well, and they lower the risk of diabetes.

Pears contain anti-inflammatory properties, help you lose weight, and increase your energy levels. Not to mention pears are great for weaning children and protecting against free radicals. These juicy green fruits are packed with benefits for your health and are extremely easy to add to your diet.

Pears symbolise divine sustenance, abundance, and longevity and are one of the oldest fruits eaten by humankind. In the Odyssey, the Greek poet Homer describes pears as “gifts from the gods” because of their sweet, juicy taste. Even though pears originated from Southern Europe, they are available worldwide. They contain immense benefits and are loved universally.

There are many reasons why you should include pears in your meal plans; they contain many nutrients. In addition, pears have different uses and multiple benefits. Pear fruits are also delicious yet easy to incorporate into culinary delights. This article talks about all the benefits, uses, and ways in which you can eat pears.

Nutritional Properties of Pears

Over 100 variations of pears grow worldwide, but they all have one thing in common. All the varieties are incredibly nutritious and have more or less the same vitamins and minerals.

Here are the nutrients in a medium-sized pear.

• Calories – 101
• Protein – 1 gram
• Carbohydrates – 27 grams
• Fibre – 6 grams
• Vitamin C – 12% of the DV (Daily Value)
• Vitamin K – 6% of DV
• Potassium – 4% of DV
• Copper – 16% of DV

Along with these nutrients, each pear also provides you with small amounts of Vitamin A, folate, and niacin. Vitamin A promotes wound healing and is good for your skin. At the same time, folate and niacin are essential for cellular function and energy production.

One should eat pear fruits unpeeled because peels are a rich source of polyphenols. Polyphenol antioxidants protect you from free radical damage and oxidative stress.

Proven Benefits of Pears

As stated above, pears have many benefits, and here are some of the most important ones.

1. Pears Improves Kidney Health

Eating pear fruits is extremely good for the health of your kidney. Pears are low in sodium, so incorporating them into your diet can prevent kidney disease. People suffering from kidney disease lose the ability to balance sodium and water in their bodies. Therefore, having a low sodium diet is essential to prevent yourself from dialysis and recovery.

One study proved that pears could help protect patients from kidney stones because of their high malic acid content. They also have a high citrate content which is beneficial for maintaining the health of your kidneys.

2. Pears May Improve Gut Health

Pears are a rich source of soluble and insoluble fibre, which are critical for the health of your digestive system. Each pear fruit contains about 6 grams of fibre, 22% of the fibre you need daily. These fibres work by bulking up and softening your stool, feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut. These prebiotics promote healthy growth for your body over the ages and boosts your immunity. 

A study proved that pears are an excellent source of fibre and Vitamin C, along with fructose and sorbitol. This combination of nutrients in pears improves the health of your gut and prevents constipation. Make sure you eat pears unpeeled because the fibre is mainly in the peels.

3. A Rich Source of Plant Compounds

The green colour of a pear is given to it by the plant compounds it contains. These compounds are also beneficial for you, and red pears contain anthocyanins. These compounds are known for improving health and strengthening your blood vessels. The most common pears in India are green, and they are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for eye health. These compounds collect in your retina to prevent blindness and other eye diseases. They also slow down the process of deterioration of your vision.

4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Eating pears can help prevent long-term or chronic inflammation that harms your health or causes heart diseases or type 2 diabetes. Since Pears have flavonoid antioxidants, they help fight inflammation and improve immunity by warding off diseases. Having a high flavonoid intake has proven to protect people against heart disease and diabetes due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Along with the antioxidants, the minerals and vitamins such as potassium, copper, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K also help fight inflammation.

5. Anticancer Effects

The compounds in pear have proven to have anti-cancer properties. The anthocyanin and cinnamic acid contents in pears can fight cancer. Diets rich in fruits, especially pears, protect against stomach, lung, and bladder cancer. In addition, pears are rich in flavonoid antioxidants that can help protect against breast and ovarian cancer, making them a necessary addition to a diet.

6. Lowers the Risk of Diabetes

Eating pears may lower the risk of diabetes, primarily type 2 diabetes. Since pears are rich in anthocyanin and fibre, they help prevent diabetes and benefit people with diabetes. Eating five or more pears a week can lower your chances of suffering from diabetes greatly due to the anthocyanin content. In addition, the fibre content slows down digestion, allowing your body to take longer to break down your food and absorb carbs. This fibre content regulates blood sugar levels, and the pear peels have anti-inflammatory properties that assist as well.

7. Pears Helps Maintain Heart Health

Pear fruits have many health benefits for your heart. The procyanidin antioxidants in pears can stiffen the heart tissue. In addition, eating pear fruits can also lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Also, pear peels contain an antioxidant called quercetin, which has anti-inflammatory levels and helps prevent heart diseases by controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Having a regular intake of pears has also been shown to lower the risk of strokes.

8. Pears May Aid in Weight Loss

Pears are low in calories and high in water and fibre. Hence, eating pears can make you feel full, making them perfect weight-loss foods. For example, in a study conducted over 12 weeks, 40 adults lost about 1.1 inches off their waist circumference just by eating two pears daily. Another 10-week study proved that women who eat three pears a day could lose an average of 0.84kg in three weeks.

9. Easy to Incorporate into Your Diet

Pears are available all year round, even if they are enjoyed primarily in colder months. They are incredibly versatile, and you can eat them alone or in your smoothie or oatmeal. You can even bake pears into a delicious crumble, pie, or cake. They complement vegetables in salads or meat and chicken in other dishes and taste good with chocolate and cinnamon.

Pears: The Best Way to Use

Pears are highly adaptive; not only can they be eaten in many ways, but they have different uses. Here are the three most beneficial ways in which you can use pears.

1. Weight loss

Pears are great for weight loss; as mentioned above, they are rich in fibre and water and low in calories. As a result, they make you feel full and stop you from overeating, not to mention they are rich in Vitamin C and fibre. Pears also aid in digestion and maintaining a healthy gut, essential in a weight loss journey. You can eat pears on there or in a delicious recipe; remember to eat them unpeeled. We’ve written down two of our favourite recipes below, but you can eat pears in a salad with hung curd, cucumber, and walnuts as well for a superfood-packed meal.

2. Good skin

Pears are perfect for maintaining your skin’s health. Pears are a source of Vitamin A which promotes collagen synthesis and cell turnover and has brightening and anti-ageing properties. Pear fruits also contain Vitamin C, which protects your skin from free radical damage and brightens it, and keeps it looking bright and youthful. You can get all the benefits for your skin from pears mainly by eating them, alone or in a recipe. You can also make a quick face mask with mashed pears and honey or avocados to hydrate and brighten your skin.

3. Acid reflux

Pears are a low-acid fruit, which means that they help significantly with acid reflux because of natural acid. If your baby or child suffers from acid reflux, you can try feeding them pears after consulting your doctor. Whether you are a child or an adult, drinking pear juice can be very helpful for acid reflux.

Pears: Healthy Recipes

Pears are wonderful fruits, and as sweet as they are, sometimes it gets monotonous to eat them on their own. So here are two recipes that give you the benefits of pears while being delicious and extremely simple.

#1 Baked Pear Fruit with Cinnamon

This recipe might be one of the few dessert recipes you come across that benefit your heart. This recipe is a fun way to incorporate pears into your diet and have a guilt-free dessert as well. This recipe can be modified to fit your paleo or vegan diet and has a prep time of 10 minutes. The cooking time for this recipe is 35 minutes, and it yields six servings.

Ingredients:

• Ripe pears: 3 
• Rolled oats or equivalent ground flaxseed, quinoa flakes, or chia seeds to fit your vegan or paleo diet: ½ a cup 
• Chopped almonds: ¼ of a cup 
• Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon sugar or coconut sugar, or honey: ½ a teaspoon
• Melted butter, or coconut oil: 30 grams – 2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Before prepping, you must preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
2. After the first step, combine the dry ingredients, oats, ground cinnamon, sugar, almonds, and salt, in a bowl.
3. After that, pour in half of your melted butter or coconut oil and mix until combined.
4. Next, cut your pears in half and scoop out a tiny portion from the middle, where the seeds are.
5. Spoon your mixture into the centre of the pears.
6. Bake the pears for 35 to 40 minutes or until they are soft and lastly, enjoy.

#2 Pear Smoothie

This smoothie can be your daily breakfast and has all the vitamins you need. It tastes refreshing and delicious and will take you only 15 minutes in total to make. This pear smoothie requires 5 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of additional time and yields two servings.

Ingredients:

• Ripe pear (chopped and seeded): 1
• Almond milk: 1½ a cup 
• Spinach: 1 cup 
• Chia seeds: 2 tablespoons
• Fresh, peeled, and minced ginger: ¼ teaspoon 
• Honey or maple syrup or sweetener of your choice: 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

1. Whisk the chia seeds and milk together. Please keep them in the refrigerator to set them for 10 minutes in a bowl.
2. While the chia seeds gel up, you can place the other ingredients in your blender.
3. Please take out the chia seed-milk mixture and give it a good whisk before pouring it into your blender with the other ingredients.
4. Blend the mixture on high power for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is entirely smooth and lastly, enjoy your zesty smoothie.

Pears: Things to Remember

Pears are a superfood with beneficial nutrients that we all need. They are essential in every diet but, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Eating two pears a day is recommended for you, and you can even eat 3. 

The best time to eat a pear is in the morning or breakfast, and you can eat one for lunch too. However, while you can eat pears at night, it’s best to not sleep right after eating a pear. It is because the sugar and fibre released in your body by a pear might disturb your sleep cycle. Also, one should not consume pears on an empty stomach because the fibre can damage your delicate mucous membranes.

Pears have barely any disadvantages, but the only precaution you need to remember is not to go overboard. You can have up to 3 pears a day, and having more might lead to side effects. These would result from excess fibre and vitamin C in your body caused by eating too many pears. Excess of Vitamin C or fibre can cause diarrhoea, nausea, heartburn, abdominal bloating, and headaches.

You might even be allergic to pears, and there are a few symptoms. For example, suppose you notice your face, tongue, lips, or throat swelling or itchy skin when you eat a pear. In that case, you should seek medical attention immediately. Other symptoms of pear allergies are nausea, vomiting, wheezing, or diarrhoea.

Conclusion

Pears are one of the only foods in the world that taste good while being packed with benefits. These green, sweet, juicy fruits contain fibre, water, Vitamin C, potassium, and copper.

Pear fruits have a wide range of benefits, starting with having anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent heart disease and diabetes. Pears are also excellent for the health of your skin, your eyes, your kidneys, and your health, and they also promote weight loss.

Pears are low in calories yet packed with minerals, vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants. As a result, they protect you from free radical damage and oxidative stress and promote healthy ageing. The possibilities for including pears in your diet are endless. However, pears are only beneficial when eaten in moderation daily. 

They are also highly versatile as fruits. They are so delicious as whole fruits with their skins intact. But they can also be baked into a pie or made into a salad. In addition, they can be blended into a smoothie or baked on their own. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What are the benefits of eating pears?

A. Pears has many benefits because of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they contain. Pears are good for preventing heart disease, improving kidney health, and improving gut health. Pears can also prevent diabetes, maintain eyesight and help with weight loss.

Q. Is it good to eat pears every day?

A. It is good to eat pears every day; eating two pears daily is beneficial for your health.

Q. What are the disadvantages of a pear?

A. There aren’t many disadvantages to eating pears unless you’re allergic. However, suppose you eat too many pears, more than 3 in a day. In that case, you may suffer from diarrhoea, nausea, heartburn, abdominal bloating, and headaches.

Q. Is pear good for skin?

A. Yes, pears are perfect for your skin because they contain Vitamin C and Vitamin A. These vitamins brighten your skin. They also help reverse skin damage and promote collagen synthesis.

Q. Can we eat pear on an empty stomach?

A. Eating pears on an empty stomach is not advisable. The reason is that the fibre in pears can damage your mucous membranes on an empty stomach.

Q. When should you eat pears?

A. The best time to eat pears is in the morning, for breakfast or even lunch.

Q. Can I eat pear at night?

A. While pears can be eaten at night, consuming low amounts like a slice is advisable. Even if pears are safe to eat at night, sleeping right after eating them can disturb your sleep.

Q. Are pears good for kidneys?

A. Pears are perfect for your kidneys. They prevent kidney diseases and help you during kidney dialysis because of the low amounts of sodium. In addition, the malic acid in pears helps to prevent kidney stones.

Q. How many pears can I eat a day?

A. You can eat 2-3 pears a day, but any more than that can be harmful.

Q. Is pear easy to digest?

A. Yes, pears are extremely easy to digest. Not only this, but they also slow down your digestion process to promote better digestion. 

Q. Is pear good for acid reflux?

A. Pears are perfect for acid reflux, and their natural acids can help with acid reflux. So feeding your child pears or pear juice can also help them with acid reflux.

Q. Do pears burn belly fat?

A. Pears help burn belly fat because they are rich in fibre and water and low in calories. So pears are a perfect addition to your weight loss journey.

Q. How many calories are in 100 grams of pears?

A. 100 grams of pears contain 101 calories, and pears are low in calories.

Q. Are pears okay on a diet?

A. Pears are okay on a diet. They are recommended and can help you lose weight.

Q. Are pears a Superfood?

A. Pears are a superfood, and they are nutritious and rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, Vitamin K, copper, and potassium.

Q. What is the nutritional value of 100g?

A. 100 grams of pears contain 101 calories and 0.249 grams of fat, and 27.1 grams of carbohydrates. One hundred grams of pears also contain 17.4 grams of sugar, 5.52 grams of fibre, and 1 gram of protein.