7 Incredible Health Benefits of Pears
For centuries, people enjoyed the delicious flavor of pears. But they're not just valued for their taste. Numerous studies have shown that pears are good for your health. They may assist in weight loss, improve digestion, enhance heart function, and regulate blood pressure.
Read on to learn about the pear and its incredible tea health benefits.
What Are Pears?
A pear is a sweet, juicy, bell-shaped fruit grown on trees or shrubs. Pears vary in size and can be found in many colors, including green, yellow, red, gold, and brown.
The pear is a species of the Pyrus belonging to the Rosaceae family. Native to China and the surrounding regions, pears arrived in what would become the United States of America with the colonists.
They come in more than 100 varieties, with Barlett being the most popular one in America. Bartlett, D’Anjou, and Bosc are the most-produced varieties in America (1).
Then as now, pears were revered for their long shelf life and versatile uses. After all, pears can be enjoyed in a delicious smoothie, chopped up and stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, and baked in a cake or pie. But, of course, you can also enjoy this tasty treat alone as a healthy snack.
The pear is so healthy and nutritious that it is included in 8th Wonder’s Organic Sparkling Oolong Tea.
Nutritional Profile of Pears
The pear is a nutritious powerhouse, containing vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more.
The nutrients inside a medium-sized pear (178 grams) include (2):
- Calories: 101
- Protein: 1 gram
- Carbs: 27 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Vitamin C: 12% of the
- Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin K: 6% of DV
- Potassium: 4% of the DV
- Copper: 16% of DV
Additionally, this serving contains tiny amounts of folate (vitamin B9), provitamin A (beta carotene), and niacin. Folate and niacin are essential to the proper function of cells and the production of energy, while provitamin A is necessary for the skin's health and the repair of wounds (3, 4, 5).
Several essential minerals, including copper and potassium, are found in pears. Potassium aids in muscle contractions and heart function, while copper is involved in immune function, cholesterol metabolism, and nerve function (6, 7, 8, 9).
Rounding out the pear's nutritional profile is its polyphenol content. Polyphenols are antioxidants that defend against disease-causing oxidative damage to cells. To benefit from the pear’s disease-fighting abilities, you must eat the whole pear, which includes the peel. Studies show that the peel can contain as much as six times the polyphenols as the flesh (10, 11).
Health Benefits of Pears
1. May Support Gut Health
Research shows that pears may support gut health by improving bowel regularity, softening the stool, and relieving constipation and diarrhea (12).
Its gut-healthy effect appears to be due to its fiber content. Pears are loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps speed the transit of food through the intestines, bulks up the stool, and promotes bowel regularity.
In addition, soluble fibers promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. This makes them prebiotics, which are associated with efficient digestion, healthy aging, and increased immunity (13).
But this is not the only way that pears can positively affect gut bacteria. According to a 2015 study, phenolic compounds in the peel of Bartlett and Starkrimson pears, as well as fermented pear juice, play a crucial role in promoting gut health. In addition, these fruits have been found to be effective in reducing the growth of harmful bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) without adversely affecting beneficial bacteria (14).
With organic pear juice included in 8th Wonder’s Sparkling Oolong Tea, you will surely benefit from its potent digestive support.
2. May Defend Against Inflammation
Inflammation is an essential part of your immune system, the first line of defense against foreign invaders in your body. However, long-lasting or chronic inflammation can harm your help. Indeed, experts believe that chronic inflammation may be the underlying cause of most of our most crippling and potentially deadly diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (15).
So, reducing inflammation may also reduce the risk of developing these and other diseases, and regularly consuming pears or pear juice might help.
A rich source of flavonoid antioxidants, pears may help reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation (16).
Indeed several studies support this positive effect. For example, the intake of flavonoids has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in several large-scale research reviews. These compounds' anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may explain this effect (17, 18, 19).
Additionally, pears contain vitamins and minerals known to fight inflammation, such as vitamin C and copper (20, 21).
Further, pear juice, like the kind found in 8th Wonder Sparkling Oolong Tea, has been found to have an anti-inflammatory effect and also helps soothe the pain.
3. May Support Heart Health
Research published in the Current Developments in Nutrition journal in 2019 demonstrated a positive correlation between eating apples, pears, or combining apples and pears with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes (22).
How do pears affect heart function?
Several studies suggest that their procyanidin antioxidants may decrease stiffness in heart tissue, reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase HDL (good) cholesterol in the body (23, 24, 25). That’s a recipe for a healthy heart!
In addition, there is an essential antioxidant in the peel called quercetin, which is believed to benefit heart health by reducing inflammation and lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, risk factors for heart disease (26, 27).
Consider this:
In a study of 40 adults with metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms associated with an increased risk of heart disease, eating two medium pears daily for 12 weeks reduced high blood pressure and waist circumference, two heart disease risk factors (28).
Additionally, pears are a great source of potassium, a well-known vasodilator (which lowers blood pressure). Therefore, pears may have a significantly positive effect on heart health.
4. May Assist in Weight Loss
Pears and their juice, like that found in 8th Wonder Organic Sparkling Oolong Tea, may even help you lose weight.
Consider this. A medium pear contains slightly more than 100 calories, making it one of the lowest-calorie fruits.
Additionally, they contain a high amount of water and fiber, which plays a significant role in keeping you full. This makes pears an effective weight-loss food.
Foods that are satiating, like pears, keep you from overeating.
A 12-week study found that 40 adults who consumed two pears daily lost up to 1.1 inches from the circumference of their waists (29).
Moreover, a study conducted over a 10-week period found that women who added three pears per day to their diet lost 1.9 pounds on average (30).
Pears are also a low-energy-density food. What does that mean? Low energy density foods contain fewer calories compared to their size, allowing you to eat more without gaining weight. As a result, you are more likely to feel full for a longer period of time, thus avoiding overeating.
Here’s an example of how this works.
During a clinical trial, 49 women aged 30-50 were asked to add three of either apples, pears, or oat cookies to their typical diet for ten weeks. Weight loss was observed in the women who ate apples or pears but not in those who ate oat cookies. All three foods had the same amount of fiber and calories but differed in terms of their energy density (31).
Remember to eat the whole fruit, including the pear, to enjoy optimal weight loss benefits.
5. May Boost Immunity
Numerous studies show that regularly taking vitamin C may boost immune function, especially if your intake exceeds the recommended dosage. One such study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (32).
Guess what food is rich in vitamin C?
Pears!
It is known that pears are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which can stimulate the production of white blood cells and boost the immune system. Maintaining a healthy immune system may prevent colds and other minor illnesses.
6. May Decrease Diabetes Risk
It may be possible to decrease diabetes risk by eating pears, particularly red varieties.
A large study with over 200,000 participants found that consuming five or more servings weekly of fruits rich in anthocyanins, such as red pears, reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 23 percent (33, 34).
Plus, pears contain fiber which slows digestion, allowing your body to digest and absorb carbs more slowly. As a result, blood sugar levels can be regulated, potentially reducing the risk of diabetes and improving its control (35).
7. May Help Prevent Cancer
Various compounds found in pears may have anticancer properties. As an example, their anthocyanin and cinnamic acid contents are known to have anticancer properties (36, 37, 38).
Research suggests that some types of cancer, such as lung, stomach, and bladder cancer, may be prevented by eating a diet rich in fruits, including pears (39, 40).
In addition, many other studies suggest that consuming foods high in flavonoids, like the pears found in 8th Wonder Sparkling Oolong Tea, may help defend against ovarian and breast cancers. Consequently, women may particularly benefit from increasing their intake of pears (41, 42, 43).
How to Eat Pears
Pears are an extremely versatile fruit with several delicious ways to consume them, including:
- Whole fresh fruit. You can either enjoy it whole, sliced, or chopped.
- Frozen. You can purchase sliced or chopped pears in the supermarket.
- Add to your healthy green smoothie.
- Chop it up and add it to a fruit salad.
- Use a high-powered blender to make homemade pear juice, or purchase 8th Wonder Sparkling Oolong Tea which contains pear juice and several other superfoods.
- Add pear chunks to your yogurt.
- Add pear chunks or slices to your garden salad.
- Stir pear chunks into your oatmeal.
- Warm up some pear slices, and sprinkle cinnamon on them.
Side Effects of Eating Pears
Pears are considered to be a safe and healthy fruit. If you consume too many of them, however, you may experience some side effects.
For example, a pear contains high levels of fructose and sorbitol, both of which are naturally occurring sugars (44). If you consume too much fructose and sorbitol, you may experience digestive issues, like diarrhea (45, 46).
Additionally, pears contain a significant amount of dietary fiber. Consuming excessive fiber may cause digestive issues, such as bloating, gas, heartburn, abdominal pain, and indigestion.
Adding pears slowly to your diet and dietary fiber, in general, may help you avoid these temporary side effects. It is also beneficial to consume a variety of dietary fibers.
Summary
The pear is a fruit rich in fiber, vitamins, and beneficial phytochemicals.
There is evidence that these nutrients can help to reduce inflammation, promote gut and cardiovascular health, defend against certain diseases, and even assist with weight loss.
Be sure to eat the peel containing many of the fruit's vitamins and minerals.
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Open a can of smoked oolong tea that has been expertly blended with pear, mangosteen, lemon, ginger, lime, and a pinch of calming turmeric.
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References
1- https://sage-answer.com/what-is-the-most-popular-variety-of-pear-grown-in-america/
2- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/341598/nutrients
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14-
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270293993_Dietary_functional_benefits_of_Bartlett_and_Starkrimson_pears_for_potential_management_of_hyperglycemia_hypertension_and_ulcer_bacteria_Helicobacter_pylori_while_supporting_beneficial_probiotic_bacter
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