08/08/2021
A pear is a mild, sweet fruit with a fibrous center. Pears are rich in essential antioxidants, plant compounds, and dietary fiber. They pack all of these nutrients in a fat free, cholesterol free, 100 calorie package.
As part of a balanced, nutritious diet, consuming pears could support weight loss and reduce a person’s risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
In this article, we provide a nutritional breakdown of the pear and an in-depth look at its possible benefits. We also give tips on how to incorporate more pears into the diet and list some potential health risks of consuming them.
Consuming all types of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of several health conditions. Pears are no exception.
They provide a significant amount of fiber and other essential nutrients, and they can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain gut conditions.
In the sections below, we look at the specific health benefits that pears may provide.
Providing fiber
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion have developed an Adequate Intake (AI) guideline for fiber.
They recommend that males under the age of 50 consume 30.8 to 33.6 gramsTrusted Source (g) per day, depending on age. For females under the age of 50, the recommended intake is 25.2 to 28 g per day, depending on age.
For adults over the age of 50, the recommendation is 28 g per day for males and 22.4 g per day for females.
Increasing fruit and vegetable intake is a fairly easy way to boost fiber intake. For example, just one medium sized pear provides 6 g of fiber, which is about 24% of the daily AI for females under the age of 50.
Pears contain a soluble fiber called pectin, which nourishes gut bacteria and improves gut health.
In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggest that sufficient fiber intake promotes healthy bowel function and can increase feelings of fullness after a meal. It may also lower a person’s risk of heart disease and reduce their total cholesterol levels.
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