Pears
The humble pear is often thought of as the apple’s less popular cousin but not anymore, we’re going to tell the world all about what these fabulous fruits have to offer and why you should take the time to juice more pears
Pear History
The exact origin of these tasty little fruits isn’t well documented but it is believed they originally grew from the shores of the black sea right across to central Asia. The Romans are credited with spreading the fruit across Europe and the Middle east but now the humble pear is available worldwide.
There are thousands of different varieties of pears on the market today but up until the 16th-century pears were only suitable for cooking because they were very sour, the use of selective breeding techniques has led to the sweet and tasty pears we know and love today.
Since the times of the Norman conquest, pears have been brewed into an alcoholic cider like drink called Perry, more recently popular in Britain through the 1970s and 1980s It tends to be more delicate than apple cider and sweeter, even stretching to citrus and tropical fruit flavors like guava and pineapple. Bottle-fermented perry becomes a light, sparkling drink that Napoleon allegedly described as “English champagne”
The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Pears
Pears are a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants, which help fight inflammation and may decrease your risk of disease. What’s more, pears pack several vitamins and minerals, such as copper and vitamins C and K, which also combat inflammation. Let’s take a closer look at the anti-inflammatory properties of pears and how they can benefit your health.
The antioxidants in pears help to neutralize free radicals that cause inflammation and cellular damage. Free radicals are exposed to us from the environments we live in, the foods we eat, stress, and lifestyle choices (e.g. smoking). Free radicals often steal electrons from surrounding tissues, leading to cellular or genetic damage, altered cellular behavior, and ultimately, disease.
Pears contain multiple flavonoid antioxidants – including catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidins – that have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity. These bioactive compounds scavenge for free radicals, helping to protect cells and DNA from damage. In addition to their antioxidant content, pears also provide other nutrients that support a healthy inflammatory response. For example, pears are a good source of copper – a mineral that is essential for the proper function of inflammatory enzymes. They are also rich in vitamins C and K – nutrients that play an important role in maintaining healthy inflammatory balance.
There are many ways to incorporate pears into your diet. You can enjoy them fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. You can add them to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, salads, or main dishes. You can even use pear juice or puree as a natural sweetener in recipes. However, you choose to eat them, incorporating pears into your diet is a delicious way to support a healthy inflammatory response.
Pear Health Benefits
Pears can give lot’s of health benefits if integrated into a well balanced diet, with a blend of Vitamin C, fiber, and carbohydrates pears are a great source of nutrients for adults and are actually an ideal first food for infants.
Here’s an overview of the basic benefits:
Pears ready to be picked
-Lower blood pressure
-Reduce the risk of strokes
-Prevent cancer caused by free radicals
-Prevent constipation
-Alleviate throat problems
-Boost your immune system
Choosing your pears
Pears should be firm, sweet-smelling, and have a nice even colour, overripe pears are soft and easily bruise when squeezed firmly. Don’t choose bruised fruits as they quickly deteriorate, especially if they’re not stored in a cool, dark place.
Always try to buy organic fruits or pick them locally when they’re in season, if you are lucky enough to have pear trees in your area, ask to buy some from the tree owner. Pear trees usually produce copious amounts of fruit and a lot usually ends up going to waste. There’s certainly nothing wrong with a little forage and they’ll be cheaper and have a better nutrient density than store-brought pears
Pear juicing tips
-Always drink your juice immediately, the longer juice is left to stand the more nutrients it will lose
-Make sure you take the time to wash your pears since the skin is going to go into the juice as well.
-Pears make wet pulp so putting a plastic bag in your pulp basket can make it easier to clean up after you’re done.
-Choose firm pears for juicing, these will make your juicing easier and won’t clog the juicing screen.
-Choose nice slim pears, this will save on preparation time as you can put them straight into the juicer whole.
-If you have a compost heap, put the pulp on there instead of in the bin, your garden will reward you for the effort.
What Should You Mix Pears With?
Pears, much like apples, can be mixed with a wide variety of other fruits and vegetables. Here’s a quick list, but you can find plenty of recipes around the site.
-Carrots
-Apples
-Ginger
-Kiwis
-Cucumber
-Celery
-Apricot
-Cherries
Getting Started with juicing
Now that you know some of the basics about juicing pears, you can get started for yourself.
Make sure to choose good pears (Conference pears are ideal) store them in a cool dark place away from citrus fruits and enjoy all of their wonderful health benefits. If you need help, refer to one of our recipes, but chances are, you’ll be able to find your own fruity creations with a little trial and error.
Remember juicing is supposed to be fun so a little experimentation can be an exciting way of getting new fruits into your diet. If you have children get them involved too, little ones love juice and if you can get them to help even better 🙂
Conclusion
Pears are a delicious and nutritious fruit that offer many health benefits. Thanks to their flavonoid antioxidant content, pears help fight inflammation by scavenging for free radicals. They are also rich in other nutrients that support a healthy inflammatory response like copper, vitamins C and K. There are many easy ways to add pears to your diet – enjoy them fresh or try incorporating them into smoothies, yogurt bowls, oatmeal dishes, salads or main meals.