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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – You probably don’t give pears much thought. They are always at the supermarket. Sometimes you pick up a few, sometimes you don’t. Why should you give them a second thought? Because they are good for you, in season right now, and well liked by most people.
Did you know that 88% of US pears are grown in Oregon and Washington state? These states are the only ones allowed to sport the USA Pears label – that annoying little sticky tag attached to fruit that notes the country of origin. But that tag is important because it tells you that you are picking a US grown pear from the northwestern section of the country known for some of the finest pears in the world.
There are 10 varieties of pears and all are in season right now. If you are looking for a pear that is soft, juicy and sweet buy Bartlett, Red Bartlett, Green Anjou, Red Anjou, Starkrimson or Comice, the sweetest of the bunch. Prefer a crisper pear buy Bosc, Forelle, Seckel or Concorde the sweetest of the crisp variety.
Pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree. They are harvested when mature, but not yet ripe. If they are left at room temperature, pears will slowly ripen from the inside out. People often are disappointed because the pear they want to eat is still hard and unsweet.
Bartlett pears change from green to yellow indicating they are ripe and ready to eat, but other varieties of pears keep their basic color as they ripen. So how do you know when a pear is ripened to perfection?
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Number one, don’t refrigerate unripen pears; leave them at room temperature to ripen.
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Daily check the neck for ripeness. Gently press near the stem with your thumb. If it gives to gentle pressure the pear is ripe and ready to eat.
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If you wait to eat a pear till it is soft around the middle it will be overripe.
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Once a pear is ripe, it can be refrigerated to slow down the ripening process and kept for up to 5 days.
A small pear (4 ounces) has 84 calories, a medium pear (5 ounces) 101 calories and a large pear (close to 7 ounces) has 131 calories. All have no fat or sodium and provide a good deal of chewing satisfaction. In other words – a healthy snack.
In addition to providing some vitamin C and minerals, pears naturally contain phytonutrients and other antioxidants, many of which are found in the vibrantly colored skins. Pears are an excellent source of fiber, some of which helps to promote intestinal health by providing food for your beneficial gut bacteria.
Much of the fiber found in pears is pectin. You may know pectin as the ingredient that makes jams and jelly gel. Pectin is a gummy, soluble fiber that helps to reduce low-density (LDL) cholesterol, lowering the risk for heart disease. It can also slow the passage of food through the GI tract, relieving diarrhea.
Research has suggested that pectin may be a useful weight loss aid by making dieters feel fuller longer. Soluble fibers, like pectin, dissolve in water and form a gelatinous-type of substance. The same thing happens in your stomach when you eat foods, like pears, high in soluble fiber. You feel fuller longer and potentially may eat less. In one study, women who ate a pectin-containing fruit, like a pear, before breakfast and lunch ate fewer calories during the day and fewer calories in the evening when snacking can be a dieter’s downfall. In another study that compared the fiber in oat cookies with the fiber in pears, those that ate the pectin-containing fruit lost the most weight.
If you haven’t eaten a pear lately, pick up a few on your next trip to the supermarket.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com