Pears and Diabetes

For more Are Pears Healthy for Diabeticsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Pears: A Sweet You Can Eat

Type 2 Diabetes: Overview

We naturally have sugar in the bloodstream that provides energy to every body cell. Healthy levels of this sugar, glucose, are maintained by insulin, a hormone secreted when blood sugar rises too high. Type 2 diabetes happens when your body doesn&#;t make enough insulin or your body&#;s cells don&#;t respond normally to insulin, called insulin resistance. This causes high blood sugar and immediately starts to starve cells of energy. Over time, high blood sugar damages sensitive tissues, such as those in the extremities, eyes, and kidneys.

What Should I Eat?

Following a regular meal plan, being active, taking medications, and tracking your blood sugar levels will help you manage your diabetes. Indeed, you may be able to control your diabetes just by eating healthfully and exercising regularly. Most people benefit from 3 meals plus 2 to 3 snacks every day. For easy snacking ideas, click here.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates provide energy, and every cell needs energy. Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and dairy and come in three forms, sugars, starches, and fiber. Sugars are the simplest, most easily absorbed carbohydrates and include glucose needed to sustain energy. Starches are longer chains of sugars. Fiber is the indigestible part of a plant. While it is generally not digested, it may offer cardiovascular and digestive benefits.

Why Pears?

Everyone&#;s digestive system needs carbohydrates, and it is best to balance them with fiber, protein, or fat at every meal. Balancing carbohydrates decreases the rate of absorption of glucose, so your blood sugar won&#;t spike as dramatically. Good carbohydrate choices are those that already contain these nutrients, such as fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.

Pears pack a nutritional punch! Each medium pear contains 6g of fiber, 21% of the recommended daily value, and they contain vitamin C. Eating two pears every day meets your fruit needs as outlined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. What could be sweeter?

But Doesn&#;t Fruit Contain Sugar?

Sometimes people think that since fruit naturally contains sugar, eating fruit is not appropriate for managing diabetes. This is not true! Fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber &#; all important nutrients &#; and most fruits are considered low GI foods. Indeed, foods high in fiber, such as pears, taste sweet without having the deleterious effect of spiking blood sugar.

For those counting carbohydrates, a small piece of fruit contains about 15g, or one serving, of carbohydrates.

For more information on including fruit in your diet, visit the American Diabetes Association website.

The Glycemic Index:

Many practitioners suggest following the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a scale from 1 to 100 that ranks how foods affect blood sugar. Foods that contain carbohydrate naturally increase blood sugar; the lower a food is on the GI, the less that food increases blood sugar. According to Diabetes Care, a medium-sized pear ranks 38 on the glycemic index and is considered a low glycemic food. [1]

Low GI Foods: <55
Pears and most fresh fruits, non-starchy vegetables, sweet potatoes, rolled oats, quinoa, beans, nuts, seeds, milk

Medium GI Foods: 56 -69
Whole wheat bread, brown rice, quick oats

High GI Foods: >70

White bread, sugary cereals, white potatoes, pretzels, candy, cookies, pineapple, melons

Ironically, not every pear is &#;pear-shaped.&#; One variety, Asian pears, is actually shaped like an apple. But no matter their shape, all pears are rich in disease-fighting nutrients.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Are you interested in learning more about Health Benefits Asian Pears? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

&#;Pears are so healthy, and most people tolerate them very well,&#; says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. &#;They&#;re terrific for your digestion and have other impressive health benefits. They&#;re a perfect snack if you&#;re craving something sweet.&#;

Types of pears

Pears are members of the Rosaceae plant family, along with apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and several other fruits and berries. Pears can range in texture, color, crispness, juiciness and sweetness. Common varieties you may find in the grocery store include:

• Anjou (green or red).
• Asian.
• Bartlett.
• Bosc.
• Comice.
• Concorde.
• Forelle.
• Seckel.
• Starkrimson.

Health benefits of pears

Are pears good for you? Absolutely. Pears are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, potassium and vitamin C. But they&#;re not just full of nutrients &#; they also may lower your risk of some diseases. Here are five ways pears boost your health.

1. A nutritious source of vitamins and minerals

Like most fruit, pears are a source of good nutrition. One medium pear has approximately:

• 102 calories.
• 27 grams of carbohydrates.
• 0 grams of cholesterol.
• 0.2 grams of fat.
• 6 grams of fiber.
• 0.6 grams of protein.
• 1 milligram of sodium.
• 17 grams of sugar.

A medium pear also gives you:

• 8 milligrams of vitamin C (9% daily value or DV).
• 8 micrograms of vitamin K (7% DV).
• 0.05 milligrams of vitamin B6 (5% DV).
• 206 milligrams of potassium (4% DV).

2. Helps manage your blood sugar

Nobody enjoys the dreaded crash that happens after sugary foods spike your blood glucose. Steady blood sugar means a steady supply of energy, which is healthier for your body. Blood sugar management is even more important if you have diabetes.

Czerwony says pears may help stabilize blood sugar and even reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes. How? Fiber, for starters. A medium pear offers nearly one-quarter of the fiber you need in a day. Fiber helps keep blood sugar steadier by slowing your body&#;s absorption of sugar.

Advertisement

Pears also contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant. An observational study suggests a link between eating anthocyanin-rich foods and a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Another study showed that eating pears could significantly lower your odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. For each serving of pears eaten per week, researchers found a 3% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.

In addition, pears are a low-glycemic food, which means they won&#;t spike your blood sugar like sugary foods and some fruits can.

3. Relieves constipation and improves digestive health

Fiber adds bulk to and softens your stool, which helps things move along in your gut. Lots of foods contain fiber, but pears are a particularly excellent source.

A single pear contains 6 grams of fiber (more than 20% of what an adult needs in a day). And pectin, a type of fiber in pears, has some specific benefits. Pectin is a soluble fiber known to help:

• Constipation: In a study of 80 people with constipation, pectin significantly improved food movement through their digestive systems and reduced symptoms.
• Gut microbiome: Pectin promotes the growth of good bacteria in your colon, according to a review of several studies, helping your microbiome stay healthy.

To reap the fibrous benefit of pears, don&#;t skip the skin. &#;Pear skin contains a significant amount of the fruit&#;s total fiber content,&#; notes Czerwony.

4. Lowers inflammation

Inflammation happens when your immune system tries to protect you from something &#; an infection, a toxin or some other offender. Some temporary inflammation is actually a healthy response to these things. But when inflammation hangs around, it can contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer&#;s, asthma, cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

Antioxidants are nutrients that can prevent some of the cell damage that leads to inflammation. Pears are rich in powerful types of antioxidants called flavonoids.

Research shows that flavonoids can reduce inflammation and lower the risk of:

• Cancer.
• Heart disease.
• Infections from bacteria, fungi and viruses.
• Alzheimer&#;s disease, dementia and Parkinson&#;s disease.
• Stroke.
• Type 2 diabetes and the nerve damage it can cause.

Advertisement

5. Promotes heart health

Pears are an excellent part of a heart-healthy diet. Nutrients in pears that can benefit your heart include:

In addition, a study examining the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption suggests eating pears lowers your risk of stroke. And one large clinical trial showed a link between eating pears and a lower risk of dying from heart disease.

Are fresh, canned or frozen pears better?

&#;In general, fresh fruits are best because they have the highest amount of nutrients,&#; explains Czerwony. &#;Frozen is usually a close second to fresh. The heat of canning, though, can break down certain nutrients.&#;

But don&#;t avoid canned pears completely. They&#;re still good for you. She advises looking for pears in water rather than syrup, which adds unneeded sugar.

&#;You might be surprised by what you can do with fresh pears,&#; she adds. &#;Think of how you use apples &#; sliced raw, in pies or baked &#; and you can do all those things with pears.&#;

Try making this poached pear dessert, include pears in your stuffing or make some interesting salads with pears.

Advertisement

For more information, please visit Chinese Pear Benefits.