Research and Findings

Pears provide a variety of the nutrients necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. Pears are an excellent source of fiber, with each medium-sized fruit providing about 21% of the Daily Value. Recent research supported by Pear Bureau Northwest indicates that fresh pear consumers had a better nutrition profile when compared with consumers who didn’t eat fresh pears. For example, pear consumers ate more dietary fiber, vitamin C, copper, magnesium, and potassium. Fresh pear consumers also had lower intakes of added sugars, total fat, monounsaturated fat, and saturated fat (1). Fiber is an important preventive agent against many chronic diseases, and it plays a beneficial role in glucose metabolism and diabetes management (2).

Pears have vitamin C, an important antioxidant necessary for bone and tissue health (3), and prevention of cardiovascular disease and various cancers (4). Pears are also a natural source of other antioxidants, which, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, are important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, and may improve immune function and lower risk for infection (5). People who eat lots of anthocyanin-rich fruits, such as pears, have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a Harvard study which included about 200,000 men and women (6). Also, pears, like most fruits, are a fat-free, nutrient-dense food that can help fill you up and keep you satisfied. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, these benefits may aid in weight loss and weight management (7).

For more information on how including pears in an overall healthy diet can help you live a healthier life, read below:

Pears May Support Cognitive Function (or “Brain Health”)

Emerging research has explored the connection between pear consumption and cognitive function. According to a study from the Rush University Memory and Aging Project, eating more flavonols – a beneficial compound found in foods like pears, kale, spinach, tea, wine and olive oil – may be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Read the original article in Scientific American here and view the original research here.

Breaking Down Fiber: A National Survey of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Gives Insight into The Nation’s Understanding of Fiber

PORTLAND, Ore. – October 17, 2017 – Fiber is considered an under-consumed nutrient and nutrient of public health concern according to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans1. While the nation’s need for increased fiber intake is well established, education is needed in order for people to better understand fiber and fiber needs. For an inside look into how registered dietitian nutritionists and the patients, clients and communities they counsel view fiber, Pear Bureau Northwest surveyed over one thousand dietitians from across the nation to tap into a cross-section of their experiences2. In sharing their experiences as they relate to fiber, dietitians…

Weight Management

Overweight and obesity rates are at an all-time high, reaching astounding numbers. According to a survey completed by the National Center for Health Statistics, the prevalence of American obesity (BMI ≥ 30) in 2011-12 was 34.9%. Pears are fat free, and are an excellent source of fiber that contains vitamins and other beneficial nutrients. Several studies suggest that adding pears to the diet aids weight loss, especially when pears replace less healthful or less filling foods. What we choose to eat makes a big difference. By choosing nutrient-dense, filling foods, we tend to eat fewer calories throughout the day. Nutrient-dense…

Gut Health

…Keeping your gut healthy is key to helping maintaining strong immune and nervous systems. Much of the fiber in fresh pears is in the form of pectin, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease. Pears contain prebiotic fiber that helps promote intestinal health by providing food for beneficial probiotic bacteria. Besides containing zero calories, fiber helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels, ensure bowel regularity, and reduce the risk of colon cancer (a disease associated with many factors)—all of which promote a healthy gut. This site is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to treat any illness or condition.…

Cancer

Vital nutrients, vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber can all be found in pears, and play a proactive role in maintaining a healthy diet and fighting against various cancers (1). Danish women who ate a healthy Nordic diet pattern, which included regular consumption of pears (part of the traditional Nordic diet), had a lower risk of colorectal cancer. (Br J Nutr, 2013). And data from the NIH-AARP (Am J Epidemiology 2007) study found that among common fruits and vegetables, there was a particularly protective effect from the intake of Rosacea fruits, such as pears, on esophageal cancer. (IntJ Cancer, 2007) For more information…

Hypertension

Blood pressure is simply the amount of force exerted when blood pushes against the walls of the blood vessels. High blood pressure, or hypertension, places too much pressure on the vessel walls, making the heart work very hard to push blood through tighter arteries. Over time, high blood pressure weakens the heart and causes hardening of the artery walls, making them weak and susceptible to injury. Often, hypertension has no symptoms whatsoever, but this damage to the blood vessels or heart, may lead to stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, and vision loss. This is why hypertension has the…

Heart Disease and Stroke

Pears are rich in fiber and have vitamin C. Likewise, pears are sodium-free, fat free, and cholesterol-free –all things that are important for a healthy heart (1). In fact, in a study that looked at data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study, researchers found that pears and apples were the most protective against heart disease, compared with other common fruits (2). Heart disease is the primary cause of death in the United States, and stroke is the third leading cause of death, according to the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3). Heart…