Include a pear in your diet. How is it beneficial for the body?

Pear is a healthy and tasty fruit that can be used in a variety of ways.

Do you know how to store it properly?

What are its health benefits?

And what vitamins does it contain?

All this and much more in our article!

Pear, an (un)ordinary fruit full of vitamins

A pear is a fruit of the pear family of the Rosaceae family, which typically has pale green or brownish skin, firm juicy flesh, and an elongated shape with a wide base that tapers upward toward the stem. Pears are commonly eaten fresh or canned. Their taste ranges from sour to sweet to spicy, and the texture can be crunchy, buttery, or something in between.

Health benefits of eating pears

Eating pears has many health benefits, such as:

• They are rich in vitamin B9, vitamin C, copper and potassium . They also contain polyphenol antioxidants that protect against oxidative damage . Consume a pear whole, as its skin boasts up to six times more polyphenols than the flesh.
• They contain dietary fiber, including prebiotics, which support regular bowel movements and bowel health , and fight constipation.
• They have many beneficial plant compounds in them. Those in red pears protect heart health , while compounds in green pears promote eye health .
• They are a rich source of flavonoids, which are antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect against certain diseases .
• They contain many active substances that help in the fight against cancer .
• They reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes thanks to their high fiber and anthocyanin content.
• They are rich in powerful antioxidants such as procyanidins and quercetin, which improve heart health. Regular consumption of pears also reduces the risk of stroke .
• Their regular consumption increases the feeling of satiety due to the high amount and fiber, which can help you lose weight.

Nutritional values of pears

In the following table, see a comparison of the nutritional values of fresh pears and apples in 100 grams.

Vitamins and minerals in pear

Also look at the amount of minerals and vitamins that 100 grams of fresh pears vs. contains apples.

How to choose good pears and how to store them?

We mainly buy pears in the fall , when they are in peak season and you can find them in almost every grocery store and farmer’s market. Choose a pear that is unscratched and free of blemishes and cuts . The fruit should also be firm with an intact stalk, smooth skin and a mild fragrance . Don’t buy soft pears as this means they are overripe and the flesh will be mushy and mealy. If you want to eat the pears in a few days, the top should still be hard.

Fully ripe pears stay fresh in the refrigerator for three to five days . To ripen pears, remove them from the refrigerator and keep them at room temperature on the counter or in a fruit bowl. They should ripen within three to ten days. To speed up the ripening process , store pears in a brown paper bag with other fruit that produces ethylene gas (the gas responsible for ripening the fruit), such as avocados, bananas or ripe apples. Check whether the pears are ripe by gently pressing the neck of the pear with your thumb . Once the stem end of the fruit has given way slightly, the pear is ripe and ready to eat.

How to store pears in the refrigerator?

Proper storage of pears is important to extend the shelf life of the fruit. After harvesting, fresh pears can be stored in a refrigerator or other cool place, such as a cellar, to continue ripening. Simply place whole pears in a perforated plastic bag or paper bag and place them in your refrigerator drawer. Avoid storing mushy, bruised or damaged fruit as it rots quickly.

How to freeze pears in sugar syrup?

1. Start by first rinsing the fresh pears in cold water.
2. Then peel them, remove the cores, split them and cut them into quarters.
3. To prevent discoloration, soak them for three minutes in a solution consisting of one quart of water and one of the following: three-quarters of a teaspoon of ascorbic acid, three tablespoons of lemon juice, or one-fourth of a tablespoon of citric acid.
4. Finally, drain the chopped pieces of pears.
5. Prepare the sugar syrup.
6. Depending on how sweet you want the pears to be, you can make a light syrup, a medium syrup, or a heavy syrup.
7. For a light syrup, mix one and two-thirds cups of sugar with four cups of water.
8. For a medium syrup, mix two and two-thirds cups of sugar with four cups of water.
9. For a thick syrup, mix four cups of sugar with four cups of water.
10. Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
11. Allow the syrup to cool.
12. Place the pears in freezer-safe containers.
13. Pour two-thirds of a cup of cooled syrup over every two cups of fruit.
14. Leave half an inch of headspace for pint jars and one inch for quart jars.
15. Place the jars of pears and syrup in the freezer and use within eight to ten months.

How to freeze pears quickly?

1. Start by rinsing the fresh pears in cold water.
2. Prepare the pears by peeling them, halving them, removing the cores and cutting them into quarters.
3. Line a tray with baking paper.
4. Place the sliced pears on the tray and put it in the freezer.
5. Freeze the pears overnight, then transfer the frozen pears to freezer-safe bags.
6. Use frozen pears within eight to ten months.

Types of pears

There are more than 3,000 species of pears worldwide. They vary in size, shape, sweetness and crunchiness.

We can divide them into summer, autumn and winter depending on when they ripen.

We can also divide them according to their use into consumption, cider and kitchen use.

In our stores, we will most often find the Conference variety, which is an autumn pear that originates in England. It is beautifully sweet and juicy and has a versatile use that includes canning.

How to use pears in the kitchen?

Of course, you can eat pears fresh on their own or use them in many recipes. Baked or poached are also popular. They perfectly complement chicken or pork and combine luxuriously with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, with Gouda or Brie cheeses and ingredients such as lemon and chocolate . However you choose to eat them, be sure to include the skin to get the most nutrients.

• Add them to oatmeal or yogurt .
• Serve thinly sliced marigolds with chunks of cheese, smoked turkey, and seedless grapes as a healthy appetizer or side dish.
• Poach it as a simple and delicious dessert.
• Preserve it. For inspiration, we have 8 best recipes for canning pears or how to preserve them all year round.
• Prepare a pear smoothie .
• Slice fresh, ripe pears and sprinkle with cinnamon for a quick and healthy snack.
• Sweeten the classic sandwich with grilled ham and cheese with pears.
• While sautéing the vegetables, add the pear slices to the vegetable mixture .
• Toss sliced pears into a chicken, tuna, green, fruit or cottage cheese salad .
• Thinly sliced marigolds served with chunks of cheese, smoked turkey, and seedless grapes make a healthy appetizer or side dish.
• Use it to prepare one of the tasty pastries , such as crumb bun or pear pie. If you don’t know how to do it, we have great recipes for pear buns .
• Use lemon-soaked pear slices as a garnish to liven up your meal.

As with apples, the flesh of pears is prone to oxidation when sliced. This can be avoided by immersing the slices of raw pear in lemon juice immediately after cutting.

Recipe for poached pears

As a bonus, we have a guide to the best poached pears, which will serve as a luxurious dessert that no visitor will despise.

And what will you need for that?

• 1800 ml of water
• 2 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 1 medium orange, cut into slices
• 6 firm pears (pee them and cut the bottoms flat so they can stand upright)

How to do it?

1. Heat the water and sugar in a large saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
2. Put the cinnamon, orange and pears in the water.
3. Cut out a circle of parchment paper large enough to fit in the pear pot.
4. Cut out a small circle in the center to vent and place it on top of the pears in the water.
5. Bring the water to a boil over very low heat and cook until the pears can be easily pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes (more or less, depending on the size, variety and firmness of the pears).
6. Allow the pears to cool in the liquid.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, cream, salted caramel sauce, or whatever you like!
8. Store pears in liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Growing pears and interesting facts

Pears have had their place on the table for centuries and are one of the oldest cultivated fruits . They originate from China and the areas surrounding the country in the southwest. They came to the United States together with the colonists. Today, they grow best in the Pacific Northwest . The fruit is also grown in China and Europe, namely France , and these three regions produce the most pears in the world.

In most pear-growing countries outside of Asia, by far the most common pear variety is Williams’ Bon Chrétien, known in the United States as Bartlett . Varieties such as Beurré Bosc, D’Anjou and Winter Nelis are grown in the United States and Canada . A very popular variety in England and the Netherlands is Conference, which is widely sold here as well. Common Italian varieties include Curato, Coscia and Passe Crassane, the latter also popular in France . In Asian countries, the pear tree consists mainly of local varieties of native species, such as the Asian or Chinese pear tree.