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Pear Nutrition

Health benefits of pears

There have been numerous peer-reviewed clinical studies on the health benefits of pears. Notably, several meta-analyses have really shown the nutritional power of this super fruit:

• A 2019 meta-analysis found that pear intake significantly decreased risk of cerebrovascular disease, cardiovascular death, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality.⁵
• A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis looked at the relationship between different vegetables and fruits (including pears) and the risk of heart disease and mortality. The studies showed an inverse association between pears and the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.⁶
• Another 2017 meta-analysis found that eating pears was associated with 18 percent reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁷ Interestingly, each additional pear that was eaten was linked to a three percent reduction in type 2 diabetes risk.

The health benefit from pears is likely due to their unique food matrix. Certainly, the soluble and insoluble fibre is part of the health benefit. Fibre may help reduce serum cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and research links a deficiency in fibre as a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease.⁸

Pears also contain a variety of antioxidants that are linked to heart health. Catechins, a type of naturally occurring flavonoid antioxidant, are shown to help reduce blood pressure, vasodilation and the risk of atherosclerosis.⁹ Studies show people who have more flavonoids antioxidants in the diet have an 18 percent risk reduction for cardiovascular disease mortality.¹⁰

Neat fact: Pears provide between 38 and 57 mg of phenolic antioxidants per 140 g.¹¹

In addition to heart health, pears are also associated with improved gut health. Pears contain prebiotic fibres, which stimulate growth of probiotics in the gut microbiota and provides health benefits.¹²

Pears also contain the unique sugar alcohol called sorbitol, which pairs with fibre to account for the known laxative properties. Sorbitol is not well-digested, so it helps ease bowel movements.¹³

Pear varieties

All pears are nutritious and delicious! Here’s some information about USA Pears that are readily available in Canada.

	Green Anjou	Red Anjou	Bosc
Season	October to July	October to July	September to April
Flavour	Refreshingly sweet and juicy with a hint of citrus	Fresh, sweet, juicy and slightly tangy	Crisp and woodsy with a honey-sweetness
When ripe they are	Soft and juicy	Soft and juicy	Crisp
Culinary uses	Great for salads, cooking, baking and pureeing for sauces	Perfect for raw applications like salads and snacks	Retain their shape and texture better than other varieties: great for baking, broiling and poaching
Ripening notes	Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate. They do not change color as they ripen; they will stay green.	Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate. These pears show only slight change in color as they ripen and become more red/maroon.	Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate. Boscs are sweeter and more flavorful earlier in the ripening process and can be enjoyed before their flesh has fully softened.

Popular Pear-ings

Ready to cook and bake with pears? The possibilities are endless, but here is some inspiration to get you started:

• Roasted pear and squash soup with Parmesan croutons
• Pear, prosciutto and burrata pizza
• Warm pear pad Thai salad
• Smoky paprika sheet-pan chicken with pears
• Pulled pork and pear tacos with pear pico de gallo

Pears have thick peels containing pectin, which is gel-like and often used in jam-making.¹⁴ Pears are the perfect fruit to use for making jam due to their natural pectin. Here’s a recipe for pear jam.

Helpful tips for clients

Pears are a great addition to a balanced dietary pattern. If you are offering advice to your clients, share these good-to-know facts too:

• When buying pears: Interestingly, pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree. Instead, they are harvested when mature but not yet ripe, and then they ripen from the inside out at room temperature. So how do you know when they are ripe and ready to eat? Check the Neck. The pear is ripe when the neck is soft to the touch.
• When storing pears: After the pear is ripe, put it in the fridge to stop the ripening process. But remember, don’t put unripe pears in the fridge – they won’t ripen there! Once ripe, pears store well for a few weeks in the fridge.
• Neat fact: The antioxidants in pears stay potent for 8 months!¹⁵
• When enjoying pears: Remind your clients not to peel the pears, since a lot of the vitamins and antioxidants are concentrated in the pear peel. Peeling decreases vitamin C and antioxidant content by 25 percent. Have an overripe pear? Use it in a smoothie or puree it into a sauce or salad dressing.