Fruit - Pear

Pear

Principle	Nutrient Value(100g)	Percentage ofRDA
Energy	58 Kcal	3%
Carbohydrates	13.81 g	11%
Protein	0.38 g	<1%
Total Fat	0.12 g	0.5%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	3.10 g	8%
Vitamins
Folates	7 µg	2%
Niacin	0.157 mg	1%
Pantothenicacid	0.048 mg	1%
Pyridoxine	0.028 mg	2%
Riboflavin	0.025 mg	2%
Thiamin	0.012 mg	1%
Vitamin A	23 IU	1%
Vitamin C	4.2 mg	7%
Vitamin E	0.12 mg	1%
Vitamin K	4.5 µg	4%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	119 mg	2.5%
Minerals
Calcium	9 mg	1%
Copper	0.082 mg	9%
Iron	0.17 mg	2%
Magnesium	7 mg	2%
Manganese		2%
Phosphorus	11 mg	2%
Zinc	0.10 mg	1%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	12 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	2 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	45 µg	--

1. Constipation:Much of the fiber found in pears is soluble,which can help prevent constipation.
2. Heart Disease: Soluble fiber may also help reduce blood cholesterol levels and prevents heart diseases.
3. Combat Cancer:Pears are a good source of dietary fiber. 100 g fruit provides 3.1 g or 8% of fiber per 100g. Regular eating of this fruit may offer protection against colon cancer. Most of the fiber in them is non soluble polysaccharide (NSP), which functions as a good bulk laxative in the gut. Additionally, its gritty fiber content binds to cancer-causing toxins and chemicals in the colon, protecting its mucous membrane from contact with these compounds.
4. Pears have been suggested in various traditional medicines in thetreatment of colitis, chronic gallbladder disorders, arthritis, and gout.
5. Weight Loss:You can also use pears for weight loss. A pear contains just 103 calories and hence is a healthy, low calorie snack. Eat a pear at night to prevent hunger pangs. Pears contain a lot of fiber and hence they keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. This will prevent you from indulging in high calorie snacks. Maintaining a healthy weight also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
   Due to the high levels of pectin, it is advisable to use pears for cholesterol control. The pectin along with the fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels. The peel also contains pectin and hence it is advisable to avoid removing the peels before eating.
6. Acne:Pears for acne are often recommended due to their high levels of vitamins and minerals. Drinking pear and other fruit juices helps to introduce these nutrients easily into the bloodstream. Minerals are helpful in neutralizing skin acids and regulating the pH balance of the skin. This is beneficial in preventing and treating acne. Fresh fruit juices help to destroy bacteria in the body and also aid in the proper digestion of protein and fat. This helps to cleanse the body and prevents toxins from building up.
7. Acidity:You can use pears for acid reflux because they help to absorb excess stomach acids.
8. Diabetics:Some doctors recommend pears for diabetics since they are low in calories and carbohydrates. One pear contains approximately 100 calories and 26 grams of carbohydrates. Controlling your calorie and carbohydrate intake helps to keep blood sugar levels balanced. Sweet cravings can lead to an imbalance in blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Pears serve as a healthy sweet treat which can satisfy the sweet tooth while keeping blood glucose levels in check. You can even go a step further and add some fat-free, sugar-free whipped cream to pieces of pear and enjoy a delicious dessert.
9. Fertility:Some women may find it difficult to become pregnant due to fluctuations in insulin levels. One way to balance insulin levels is by eating fresh fruits. Fruits contain natural sugar which is beneficial for the reproductive system. This is the reason why some health experts recommend pears for fertility. Pears also supply the body with essential vitamins and minerals that boost immunity and aid in fertility.
10. Gallbladder:Pear juice and pears for the gallbladder are beneficial because they help to prevent gallstones. Pears contain malic acid which helps to slowly disintegrate the stones.
11. Kidney Stones:Many people who develop calcium oxalate kidney stones have high amounts of oxalate in the urine. As a result they must avoid consuming foods which are too high in oxalate. You can eat pears for kidney stones because it is a low oxalate fruit.
12. Pregnant Women:Eating pears during pregnancy helps to prevent neural tube defects in the baby because of the foliate found in pears.
13. Sore Throat:You can eat pears for a sore throat because they help to relieve inflammation and irritation. Add some honey to pears and blend. Drink this to relieve symptoms of sore throat. Drink pear juice twice daily to prevent further throat problems
14. Upset Stomach::Quite a few people recommend pears for upset stomach. They help to alleviate nausea and vomiting. Some also maintain that juice from canned pears is beneficial in treating stomach upsets in children.
15. Keeps You Hydrated:Pears are a watery food and when you add in the A and C vitamins and rich mineral content, they can help rehydrate you and keep you hydrated.
16. Calms Digestion:The pectin and fiber in pears can help stop diarrhea and the cooling tannins can calm an irritated digestive tract.
17. Boosts Immune System:Pears contain a good amount of vitamins A, K, C, B2, B3, B6 and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper so eating them is great for your immune system.
18. Hypoallergenic Fruit:Pears are a hypoallergenic fruit. So if you have issues with food sensitivities, you usually can eat pears with no adverse side effects. This also makes them a great fruit to introduce to infants.
19. Fights Alzheimer’s:The antioxidant quercetin found in the skin has been shown by a recent study at Cornell University to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. So don’t’ peel your pears!.
20. Prevents Osteoporosis:Pears contain boron which our bodies need so we can retain calcium so they have been linked to osteoporosis prevention.

1. Free from radicals:They are moderate sources of antioxidant flavonoids phyto-nutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein and zea-xanthin. These compounds, along with vitamin C and A, help the body protected from harmful free radicals.
2. Oily Skin - Mask:Add half a teaspoon of honey and one tablespoon of cream to one mashed ripe pear. Apply the mixture over your face and neck and let it remain for about fifteen minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water.
3. Moisturizes the skin: Pears is very good moisturizer. Pears are equally good for oily as well as dry skin. Pears are basically natural humectants; they store water naturally thereby retaining the natural moisture in the skin. That explains the reason of pears being the main ingredient in most of the moisturizing lotions. If pears are consumed on regular basis then you can get a smooth and even skin.
4. Prevent wrinkles:If you include pears in your regular diet then you can slow down the aging process. Pears are full of Vitamin C, which makes it a good antioxidant, apart from that it has copper and Vitamin K as well. Pears help in toning the skin and thus preventing the formation of fine lines that turns into wrinkles later.
5. Face Scrub: Just mash up the pulp of pear and mix it with some oatmeal and water to make it in a paste form. Then apply the scrub on the face and exfoliate your skin with this super pear scrub.
6. To prevent the skin damage: Consuming pears daily also helps in keeping the skin damage free and making it soft and smooth. Pears contain dietary fibers that help it to achieve it. Pears decelerate the discharge of sugar into the bloodstream and thus stop the damage of skin collagen which is generally caused due to frequent sugar spikes.
7. To treat acne: Acne-prone skin gets the maximum benefits from pears. Pears contains high levels of vital vitamins as well as essential minerals. Pears help in boosting the immunity and make us internally strong. As a consequence the skin becomes strong enough to fight against pimple, acne as well as other kind of skin infections
8. Hair:
   • Controls dryness:Pears as mentioned earlier has moisturizing property, hence it works its magic on the hair too. It also contains loads of Vitamin C, that is a natural antioxidant and it helps to conditioning the hair by nourishing the hair cells. To make natural hair conditioner with pear, take pears, peel it and cut it into small slices and put it in water in a container and then cover it. Shake well and then strain it. Use this liquid on the hair, massage it and rinse it.
   • Restores the shine of the hair:If you want to add that shine to your dull and damaged hair, then pears is what you need! For that, you have to make a pear mask and to make that you need to mix 1 ripe pear with 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar as well as water. This pack makes sure your hair gets that shine it needs and removes the dullness of the hair.
   • To nourish your hair and keep it healthy:Pears are used as hair products mainly because they nourish the hair well. It contains vitamin E which is essential to make the hair glossy and healthy. It deep conditions the hair providing it maximum nourishment thus keeps it healthy.

1. There are no known side effects or health risks associated with eating pears.

1. Season Available:Fresh pears are readily available in the stores. While Bartlett variety is a predominant variety during summer, Comice, Seckel, etc. are chief fall-season pears. Asian pears are generally ready to harvest by August and available in the stores by September.
2. Selection:Choose fresh, bright, firm textured fruits with rich flavor. Avoid those with pressure marks over their surface as they indicate underlying mottled pulp. Some fruits, especially the Asian varieties, have rusted speckles over their skin, which, otherwise, is an acceptable characteristic.
3. Storing:Keep unripe pears in a basket with separate chambers at room temperature or wrap in paper to ripen as you do in papaya. The fruit is ripe once it yields to gentle pressure, and ready to be eaten. K eep them inside the refrigerator where they will remain fresh for a few days.
4. Serving:Trim both ends using paring knife and cut into two equal halves. Take out centrally placed small seeds. Slice the fruit into desirable cubes or pieces.
   Since several of the vitamins and minerals are concentrated in significant quantities just underneath the skin, pears should be eaten as a whole along with its skin to get maximum benefits.
5. Safety:
6. Cooking Tips:
   1. Eat them as they are without any additions to get maximum health benefits.
   2. Pear is also used in the preparation of fruit juice, jam, pie, and fruit salad.
   3. Add as a juice mix with other fruits like pineapple, peaches, grapes...etc.
   4. Dried pear slices can be added to baby food.