Why on earth would you ever eat a fucking pear?!?!, you ask incredulously.
Pears = 🤮
But here’s the thing…
Pears may help with weight management because they have high water content and are rich in fiber. Together, the fiber and water can help promote the feeling of fullness, which in turn can cause you to eat less and reduce your total calorie intake. Staying on the matter of fiber, pears are a better source than apples of pectin, an insoluble fiber that’s known to lower cholesterol, relieve constipation, and improve gut health.
Another thing that pears have going for them is that they make for a great workout snack. To that point, in a study of cyclists, pears were found to increase the performance time of a 75-km trial by 3 percent compared to water. In addition to that objective improvement in cycling time trials, pears also had a subjective effect, as the participants reported feeling more energetic and a greater ability to focus while exercising. These results largely stem from the sugar profile of pears, with them providing fructose and glucose that the body can quickly break down for energy. Something else that pears are laden with are phytonutrients with antioxidant properties, which helps explain the reduction in inflammation that was also observed in the study. So not only do pears improve exercise performance but they also enhance recovery.1The study also included bananas, which had similar but more pronounced performance and recovery benefits than pears versus water.
All that still isn’t enough for you?
Okay, then consider that pears may regulate alcohol metabolism.
For reasons unknown to researchers at the moment, consuming pears before drinking may lower blood alcohol levels and lessen the symptoms of a hangover.2The studies with this finding were conducted with the Asian, or nashi, pear. There’s no evidence yet if the same benefits hold true to other pear varieties. There’s also no evidence at this juncture on whether or not the effects apply to the whole fruit, as the studies used pear juice.
Yeah, I know, pears sound mighty, mighty tasty right about now!
NOTE: To get the most out of pears, leave the skin on, as it contains most of the fiber and phytonutrients.
Pear Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 medium (178g)
• Calories: 102
• Total Fat: 0.2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 2mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 27g
• Dietary Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 17g
• Protein: 0.6g
Glossary: calories, exercise, glucose, metabolism, workout
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