Nutritional Facts & Health Benefits of Pears

A pear is a fleshy fruit with bright green skin and a mild sweet taste. This fruit is very high in dietary fibre, essential antioxidants and essential plant compounds. Pears are an underrated fruit that carries health benefits similar to those of an apple. For the calorie-conscious reader, this is cholesterol and fat-free fruit that totals to about 100 calories per pear. Pears are believed to be helpful for weight loss, reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Here is all the information you need about the nutritional value, health benefits and calories in pears. 

How Many Calories do Pears have?

The number of calories in one medium pear is around 101, given that it weighs around 178 grams. Pears are actually a great source of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C, K, potassium, calcium, iron, folate, magnesium and riboflavin. Pears with red skin also contain these plant compounds and antioxidants: anthocyanins, flavonoids and carotenoids. The number of pear calories for 100g come up to a mere 57 on average. Note that the number of calories in smaller pears may differ. Here is a table displaying the nutritional content of one pear.

Calories in Pears in Common Dishes

Since pears have a mild taste, they can easily be adapted to a variety of dishes. Generally added to breakfast dishes or desserts, pears pair well with wine, cinnamon, star anise, honey and sweet yoghurt. A few popular dishes that incorporate pears are poached pears, spiced pear oatmeal, pear cake, pear crumble, pear smoothie and pear salad. 

Health Benefits of Eating Pears

Like most fruits, pears provide a considerable amount of fibre, minerals, vitamins, sugar and water content. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is important for preventing several diseases and health problems. Here are a few reasons why you should consider including more pears in your diet:

1. Pears provide fibre

Consuming adequate dietary fibre is vital for keeping the digestive system healthy. Vegetables and fruits offer a good deal of fibre, and a medium-sized pear carries about 5.5 g of fibre, which makes up about a fifth of the recommended fibre intake for people under 50. Moreover, pectin is a soluble fibre found in pears that can give you better gut health. 

2. Pears may help you lose weight

The fibre and water content in pears can help you feel satiated and full after eating, even if the calorie or carb intake is not that high. Hence, this reduces the urge to binge or snack mindlessly. For this reason, fruits like pears are recommended if one wants to lose weight naturally. In addition to that, research has shown that dietary fibre may be helpful in reducing the risk of inflammation and related problems like obesity, diabetes, or even cancer. 

3. Pears may help in diverticulosis treatment

Diverticulitis is an inflammation-related disease that involves an infection of diverticulosis, or the sacs lining the large intestine. A high fibre intake may help in reducing the risk of diverticulitis. 

4. Pears can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

Studies have suggested that upping the intake of pears can help in decreasing high blood pressure, and therefore reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

5. Pears are great at detoxifying

The high water and fructose content in pears assists in ensuring regular bowel movements and flushes toxins out of your system through stools.

6. Pears fight free radicals

Pears are a wonderful source of antioxidants, vitamins C, K and copper as well. These chemicals are known to combat the effects of free radicals in the body. Thus, pears can slow down the speed of cell ageing as well as tumour growth. 

How Many Pears Can You Consume Every Day?

Pears being quite similar to apples in terms of nutrients, they can actually be eaten every day. However, due to the potential laxative effects of this fruit, a few times a week or 50g daily is a good amount to eat.

Conclusion

Pears are the ideal addition to your diet if you are trying to be more calorie-conscious, and looking to incorporate more fibre, fluids and antioxidants in your daily meals. With numerous health benefits to their name, pears are a humble fruit that is generally overlooked but are packed with vital nutrients. On top of working on your diet, something that can help you track your health stats is measuring your BMR and BMI. While applying for health insurance, pre-existing health conditions such as obesity may affect your ability to get comprehensive health insurance policy for low premium rates.

 

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