This post will provide information on "What are the health benefits of pear fruit (Pyrus communis L.)?" as well as provide answers to questions like: Where did the pear originate from? Who discovered pears? When was pear invented? What does the pear fruit symbolize? What do pears do for your body? What is the healthiest fruit? Is eating a pear everyday good for you? Are pears good for your skin? What happens when you eat pear everyday? Are pears bad for you? Can pears make you sick? Can pear cause stomach problems?
The pear (Pyrus communis L.) is a typical fruit of temperate regions, having its origin and domestication at two different points, China and Asia Minor until the Middle East. It is the fifth most widely produced fruit in the world, being produced mainly in China, Europe, and the United States. Pear belongs to rosaceous family, being a close “cousin” of the apple, but with some particularities that make this fruit special with a delicate flavor. Pear, a typical fruit of temperate climates, with delicate pleasant taste and smooth, has a wide acceptance throughout the world. By its shape, it inspires designers and architects. The fruit pleases generations; already in 1661, Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie, lawyer and botanist, responsible for the gardens of the Versailles palace, passionate about the cultivation of pears, wrote in reports: “It must be confessed that, among all fruits in this place, nature does not show anything so beautiful nor so noble as this pear. The name pear is derived from Latin, pera or pira, with some variants like in French as poire, in German as peer, and in Greece as acras as wild type and apios as cultivated pear. It belongs to Equisetopsida C. Agardh class of vascular plants, Magnoliidae Novák ex Takht subclass, characterized by plants that have ribbed leaves and flowers. Belonging to the Rosales Bercht. and J.Presl order, and Rosaceae Juss family, with hermaphrodite flowers, polypetalae and perigynics stamens, the pear, of Pyrus L., gender is a fruit of big importance for the agriculture of latitude moderate countries, being cultivated on a large scale in China, Western Europe, and the United States.
The pear is native to coastal and mildly temperate regions of the Old World, from Western Europe and North Africa east across Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching 10–17 m (33–56 ft) tall, often with a tall, narrow crown; a few species are shrubby. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, 2–12 cm (1–4+1/2 in) long, glossy green on some species, densely silvery-hairy in some others; leaf shape varies from broad oval to narrow lanceolate. Most pears are deciduous, but one or two species in Southeast Asia are evergreen. Most are cold-hardy, withstanding temperatures as low as -25 to -40 °C (-13 to -40 °F) in winter, except for the evergreen species, which only tolerate temperatures down to about -15 °C (5 °F). The flowers are white, rarely tinted yellow or pink, 2–4 centimetres (1–1+1/2 in) diameter, and have five petals.[3] Like that of the related apple, the pear fruit is a pome, in most wild species 1–4 cm (1/2–1+1/2 in) diameter, but in some cultivated forms up to 18 cm (7 in) long and 8 cm (3 in) broad; the shape varies in most species from oblate or globose, to the classic pyriform "pear shape" of the European pear with an elongated basal portion and a bulbous end.
- Pears are especially rich in folate, vitamin C, copper, and potassium. They’re also a good source of polyphenol antioxidants
- Pears offer dietary fiber, including prebiotics, which promotes bowel regularity, constipation relief, and overall digestive health
- The red pears may protect heart health, while those in green pears may promote eye health
- Pears are a rich source of flavonoids, which are antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and protect against certain diseases
- Pears contain many potent plant compounds that may have cancer-fighting properties
- Pears may help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes due to their fiber and anthocyanin contents
- Eating pears regularly may also reduce stroke risk
- Eating pears regularly may help you feel full because of their high amounts of water and fiber which may help you lose weight
Pears are safe for most people when eaten in normal food amounts. But, there isn't enough information to know if pears are safe when used as medicine or what the possible side effects might be.