9 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Pears

Pears come in many different varieties. Bartlett, Bosc, and D’Anjou pears are among the most popular ones.

A medium-sized pear provides the following nutrientsTrusted Source:

• Calories: 101
• Protein: 1 gram (g)
• Carbs: 27 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Vitamin C: 9% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin K: 7% of DV
• Potassium: 4% of the DV
• Copper: 16% of DV

This same serving also provides small amounts of folate, provitamin A, and niacin. Folate and niacin are important for cellular functionTrusted Source and energy production, while provitamin A supports skin health and wound healingTrusted Source.

Pears are likewise a rich source of important minerals, such as copper and potassium. Copper plays a role in immunity, cholesterol metabolism, and nerve function, whereas potassium aids muscle contractions and heart function.

What’s more, these fruits are an excellent source of polyphenol antioxidants, which protect against oxidative damage. Be sure to eat the whole pear, as the peel boasts up to six timesTrusted Source more polyphenols than the flesh.

Pears are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which are essential for digestive health. These fibers help maintain bowel regularity by softening and bulking up stool.

Additionally, pears are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that has been associated with several benefitsTrusted Source, including improved gut health and immune function.

As pear skin contains a substantial amount of fiber, it’s best to eat this fruit unpeeled.

Pears offer many beneficial plant compounds that give these fruits their different hues.

For instance, anthocyanins lend a ruby-red hue to some pears. These compounds may improve heart health and protect against cancerTrusted Source.

Though specific research on pear anthocyanins is needed, numerous population studiesTrusted Source suggest that a high intake of anthocyanin-rich foods like berries is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

Pears with green skin feature lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds necessary to keep your vision sharp, especially as you get older.

Again, many of these beneficial plant compounds are concentrated in the skin.

Although inflammation is a normal immune response, chronic or long-term inflammation can harm your health. It’s linked to certain illnesses, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Pears are a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants, which help ease inflammation and may decrease your riskTrusted Source of disease.

A 2018 review ties high flavonoid intake to a reduced risk of diabetes and developing or dying from heart disease. This effect may be due to these compounds’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

What’s more, pears pack several vitamins and minerals, such vitamin C, which can also ease inflammationTrusted Source.

Pears contain various compounds that may exhibit anticancer properties. For example, their anthocyanin and chlorogenic acidTrusted Source contents have been shown to protect against cancerTrusted Source.

A 2019 studyTrusted Source and a 2020 studyTrusted Source indicate that diets rich in fruits, including pears, may protect against some cancers, including those of the lung and stomach.

What’s more, some population studies suggest that flavonoid-rich fruits like pears may also safeguard against breastTrusted Source and ovarian cancers.

While eating more fruit may reduce your cancer risk, more research is needed. Pears should not be considered a replacement for cancer treatment.

Pears — particularly red varieties — may help decreaseTrusted Source diabetes risk.

What’s more, the fiber in pears slows digestion, giving your body more time to break down and absorb carbs. This can also help regulate blood sugar levels.

Pears may help lower your risk of heart disease.

Their procyanidin antioxidants may decrease stiffness in heart tissueTrusted Source, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.

The peel contains an important antioxidant called quercetin, which is thought to benefit heart health by decreasing inflammationTrusted Source and reducing heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

One studyTrusted Source in 40 adults with metabolic syndrome — a cluster of symptoms that increases your heart disease risk — found that eating 2 medium pears each day for 12 weeks lowered heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure and waist circumference.

Pears are low in calories, high in water, and packed with fiber. This combination makes them a weight loss-friendly food, as fiber and water can help keep you full.

When full, you’re naturally less prone to keep eating.

In one 12-week studyTrusted Source, 40 adults who ate two pears daily lost up to 0.3 inches (0.7 centimeters) off their waist circumference.

Pears are available year-round and easy to find in most grocery stores.

Eaten whole — with a handful of nuts if you choose — they make a great snack. It’s also easy to add them to your favorite dishes, such as oatmeal, salads, and smoothies.

Popular cooking methods include roasting and poaching. Pears complement chicken or pork especially well. They likewise pair nicely with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, cheeses like Gouda and brie, and ingredients like lemon and chocolate.

However you choose to eat them, remember to include the skin to get the most nutrients.

Pears are a powerhouse fruit, packing fiber, vitamins, and beneficial plant compounds.

These nutrients are thought to fight inflammation, promote gut and heart health, protect against certain diseases, and even aid weight loss.

Just be sure to eat the peel, as it harbors many of this fruit’s beneficial compounds.