How to choose delicious and healthy pears at the store. Tips from a nutritionist

President of the Association of Nutritionists and Health Coaches (ANCH)

How to choose the right pears at the store?

Fall is the season of late and winter varieties of pears. Ripe fruits are suitable for preserves, flavorful pies and warming compotes. Pear – not only tasty, but also useful fruit, rich in vitamins and fiber.

How useful pears are

Juicy fruits of seasonal pears – a treasure trove of vegetable fiber and vitamins.

The fruit of pears contains almost all useful substances:

• vitamins A, C, E, H, N, K, PP, B group;
• macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur);
• trace elements (iron, zinc, iodine, etc.);
• organic acids;
• essential oils;
• flavonoids and phytoncides.

Although pears are sweeter than apples, they are low in calories and contain more fructose than glucose. This means they won’t require insulin to break down, preventing blood sugar spikes.

For this reason, pear is recommended for people with pancreatic diseases, for dieting and for the diet of people with diabetes.

Pear is a hypoallergenic fruit, rich in folic acid, so it is suitable for the diet of children and pregnant women.

Studies have proven that pear can reduce cholesterol and improve digestion. The fact that this fruit (as well as apples and oranges) contains a lot of lignin and gum. The second is also called soft fiber, which gets rid of toxins, improves digestion and assimilation of useful elements. In turn, lignin – insoluble fiber – helps gum to reduce cholesterol and helps cleanse the intestines.

Pears are rich in vitamin C and will perfectly support the immune system in the season of viruses and autumn colds, and essential oils increase the body’s defenses and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Decoctions and compotes of dried or fresh fruits contain tannins – substances that have an astringent effect, which is useful in intestinal disorders, especially in children. Adults such a drink will help to cope with constipation and inflammation of the urinary tract.

Due to the high content of potassium pears are useful in heart disorders and insomnia.

Fruit can be eaten on a diet and do not be afraid to get better. But do not forget about the measure. After all, the pear contains natural sugars. In 100 g of fruit is only 40 kcal, and organic acids of the fruit improve digestion, speed up metabolism, stimulate the kidneys and liver.

How to choose delicious pears in the store

Ripe soft pears are the most useful. It is better to refrain from eating hard and unripe ones to avoid aggravation of gastrointestinal diseases.

Do not eat pears together with meat and high-calorie foods – it worsens the process of digestion. With what else should not combine fruit, read in the material at the link.

When buying fruit in the store, I recommend choosing slightly underripe fruit and give them a chance to ripen at home. If you plan to eat the fruit when you get home, choose ripe and juicy pears, following these tips.

Pay attention to color

The color of the pear depends on its variety – it can be green, yellow, red. But the main criterion of quality is the absence of darkening and dark spots on the fruit.

Smell it

A ripe and tasty pear exudes a delightful subtle aroma. If a pear is odorless, it was probably plucked from the tree too early and will not ripen at home. Fruit that smells fermented, sour or musty should also be avoided.

Check the stalk

If the fruit is of good quality, it means that it was picked in time and transported correctly. Therefore, a ripe pear stalk has not yet had time to dry out completely and is firm and soft to the touch. This is exactly what you should take, but a fruit with a dry and brittle stalk is better left in the store.