Benefits of Pears, Nashpati

Pear is a mildly sweet fruit with green skin and cream coloured flesh and a few inedible seeds. Belonging to the genus ‘Pyrus comuunis’, they grow best in cool and temperate climates.  They are usually broad at the bottom and tapper towards the top. Although the season for pears runs from August through October, there are a variety of pear available year-round because of the seasonal variations amongst the different varieties. 

Well, with varieties of pears each of them differing in size, shape, color, taste and storage qualities, the Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou and Comice pears are the most commonly available types in the United States.

Its local names in different Indian languages include Nashpati in Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali and Odiya, Berikai in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and Sabarjil in Malayalam. Find out How to Select and Store Pear 

5 Health Benefits of Pear

1. Pears May Help Improve Digestive Health : As mentioned above, pears are an excellent source of fiber (7.3 g / cup). That’s a lot when your total daily requirement of fiber is 25 to 30 g. The higher the fiber intake, the healthier the digestive tract. Fiber has key role in easy bowel movements and avoiding constipation. 

When the talk is about fiber, one thing you need to surely remember is to have this fruit along with its skin. This is because the major chunk of fiber lies just beneath the skin. So remember to not peel the skin. Wash it thoroughly and enjoy its juicy and sweet flavaour. You can also a more flavourful fare like Muskmelon Pear and Apple Salad.

2. Pear Abounds in Vitamin C : A cup of pear provides 6.5 mg of vitamin C – this is about 16.3% of RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). So what role does vitamin C play in our body? Most importantly it enhances our line of defense against diseases by building white blood cells (WBC). These cells help us fight common bacterial and viral infections. 

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant as well. It helps fight against free radicals in the body which otherwise are likely to cause damage to our cells. This vitamin also dodges the inflammation in the body and side steps the onset of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. 

Furthermore, vitamin C also aids in collagen synthesis in the body – a protein required to lend smoothness and elasticity to the skin. Thus pears are a good way of avoiding those unwanted wrinkles and delaying effects of ageing. 

Vitamin C is a volatile nutrient. Some amount is lost on exposure to air. So remember to chop the pear and eat it immediately. Also do not cook the pears too much. The process of cooking also leads to loss of vitamin C to some extent. Try including Pear and Pomegranate Salad to your meals for that shiny and radiant skin and a well-built immune system. 

Senior citizens who cannot chew well, can opt for Pear Juice. Some amount of fiber will be lost, but they can benefit from host of other nutrients.  

3. Pear May Avoid Weight Gain : To avoid weight gain you need to eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. The only reason behind this is the presence of fiber and antioxidants in them. Fiber is that key nutrient which will give you satiety value and keep you full for a long time. Thus, you won’t reach out for unhealthy calories and fat-laden snacks. 

You may argue that a cup of pear yields about 88 calories. But this is less than 5% of a 2000 calorie diet. Moreover, these calories are the best way to treat your body at snack time. It’s easy to carry to work and the taste is quite refreshing too. Try it out… you are sure to indulge into it again and again….

4. Pear May Assist in Diabetes Management : Yes, pear has calories… it has carbs also… but it has fiber too! Moreover, it’s glycemic index is also 38. This means it forms a part of low glycemic index foods. Such high fiber and low glycemic index fruits like pears help to release the sugar in the bloodstream slowly. This is how they may help in keeping blood sugar levels under control. 

On days you feel like pleasing yourself with something sweet, reach out for this sweet fragrant fruit than sugar laden sweets and desserts. They will do no harm and additionally promote health. 

A word of caution here. If you are diabetic, pear juice is best avoided since it is a concentrated source of calories which may cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Instead you can combine an array of healthy fruits along with pear to create Mixed Fruit Chaat – a complete Diabetic-friendly food package. 

5. Pear May Improve Heart Health : Pear is a fairly good source of potassium and magnesium which have a significant impact on heart. Potassium acts as vasodilator and keeps the blood vessels dilated which ensures normal blood flow to heart. It maintains normal blood pressure which reduces the strain on the entire cardiovascular system. On the other hand, magnesium has a hand in maintaining normal heartbeat. 

Besides, pear has noteworthy amounts of fiber. Many researches have shown positive link between fiber and lower risk of heart disease and strokes. The presence of pectin fiber in pear is the secret nutrient to support heart health. It helps to lower the cholesterol levels in the body. 

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While whole pear is the best, as a variation you can also try Jowar and Pear Appam. This recipes doesn’t require too much salt as well, thus incredibly nourishing for the heart. 

The major nutrient of pear comes from its fiber and vitamin C content. One pear as a whole is sufficient to reap health benefits. Check out all its benefits along with its Nutrition facts in detail….

Nutritive Information for Pear:
1 cup of chopped pear is about 170 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 88 calories
Protein – 1 g
Carbohydrate – 20.2 g
Fat – 0.3 g
Fiber – 7.3 g

Vitamins:
0.1 mg of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) = 6.3% of RDA ( (about 1.2 to 1.6 mg for men)
0.05 mg of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) = 2.6% of RDA (about 1.4 to 1.9 mg for men)
6.5 mg of Vitamin C = 16.3 % of RDA (about 40 mg)

See full nutritional details of pear in Pear glossary click here.

If Health is what you swear…

Do not neglect the fruit – Pear,

You have nothing to prepare….

Merely enjoy the whole fruit as a fare.