INFORMATION ABOUT PEAR
History:There is some debate about the exact origins of the European pear, but many experts believe that European
pears (Pyrus communis) and Asian pears (both Pyrus pyrifolia and Pyrus ussuriensis) evolved separately and
during the same approximate time in history (roughly 1000 BC). Certain species of pear are also native to
parts of Africa.
Beginning in the 1500's, Eurpoean colonists began to bring pears to North America, where they apparently
were not native or enjoyed before that time. While pears were cultivated there during those years, the
colonists continued to import most of the pears they consumed from Europe, and especially from France.
Today, pears grown in Europe have become a very small part of the U.S. diet. While the U.S. continues to
import over 75,000 metric tons of pears each year, the vast majority now come from Argentina, Chile, China,
South Korea and New Zealand.
On a worldwide basis, China has become the world's largest grower of pears. Out of 21 million tons produced
worldwide, China now produces about 15.5 million tons, or nearly three-quarters of the world total. Of the
remaining 5.5 million tons, another 2.7 come from Europe, 1.1 from Argentina and Chile, 0.8 from the U.S.,
and smaller amounts from New Zealand, South Korea, and other countries.
Within the U.S., the state of Washington is by far the largest grower of pears, accounting for about half of all
U.S.-produced pears. California and Oregon follow next, with significant commercial production also
occurring in New York and Pennsylvania.
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Description:Pears are a member of the rose family of plants (Rosaceae), which, in addition (of course) to roses, contains a
long list of fruits including apples, apricots, cherries, chokeberry, crabapples, loquats, peaches, plums,
quinces, raspberries, serviceberries, and strawberries as well as the tree nut, almonds. The many different
varieties of pears commonly found in U.S. groceries all belong to the same category known as European Pear
(Pyrus communis). These pears typically have a rounded body that tapers into a neck of various lengths.
They are distinct from (but closely related to) the fruit we commonly call "pear apple." Pear apples are
completely round with no necks, and while they remind of us of apples in shape, their skins make us think
they are pears. Contrary to popular belief, pear apples are not a cross between apples and pears. Pear apples
belong to a second category of pear, broadly referred to as Asian pear. Included in this second category are
Chinese pear, Japanese pear, and Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) as well as Siberian/Manchurian pear (Pyrus
ussuriensis). When these categories are combined, they account for more than 3,000 varieties of pears that
people enjoy worldwide.
Pears are found in a variety of colors, including many different shades of green, red, yellow/gold, and brown.
Many varieties fail to change color as they ripen, making it more difficult to determine ripeness. (For more
about selection of pears, please see our How to Select and Store section.)
The list below describes some of the more commonly enjoyed varieties of pears:
•Bartlett: best known of the pear varieties in the U.S., and most often the variety found in cans. Bartletts are
yellow/green and speckled, and sometimes called Williams pears
•Bosc: cinnamon brown-skinned pears with long tapered necks with a honey-like but complex flavor
•Comice: round, short pears with either green and red coloring, or sometimes almost completely red with
especially soft and juicy flesh
•Concorde: tall, skinny, and golden/green pears with flesh that is firmer and more dense than many other
varieties
•Forelle: red/green and speckled like a trout, and thus the name, meaning "trout" in German. A small-sized
pear that yellows as it ripens.
Health Benefits:Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Support
While pears are not an unusual source of conventional antioxidant or anti-inflammatory nutrients (for
example, vitamin E or omega-3 fatty acids), the phytonutrient category is where this fruit excels. For
example, in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (1,638 participants, average age range 62-69 years),
the combination of apples/pears ranked as the second highest source of flavonols among all fruits and
vegetables - partly due to the epicatechin richness of pears. Average flavonol intake in the study was about 14
milligrams per day, and one pear can provide about half of this amount all by itself. The list of phytonutrients
found in pears has been of special interest to researchers, and the list below summarizes their findings about
key phytonutrients provided by this fruit.
Decreased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease
As a very good source of dietary fiber, pears might logically be expected to help protect us from development
of type 2 diabetes (or DM2, which stands for "diabetes mellitus type 2) as well heart disease. Adequate intake
of dietary fiber is a long-established factor in reducing our risk of both diseases, and in the case of pears, this
benefit may be even more pronounced due to the helpful combination of both soluble and insoluble fiber in
this fruit. In addition to their fiber content, however, pears have other ways of helping to protect us against
these diseases. In the case of DM2, scientists now know that pear flavonols (including isorhamnetin,
quercetin, and kaempferol), flavan-3-ols (especially epicatechin), and the anthocyanins (found in red-skinned
varieties including Red Anjou, Red Bartlett, Comice, Seckel, and Starkrimson) all help improve insulin
sensitivity. (More and more research attention is being given to mechanisms of action in this area, including
regulation of the enzyme NADPH oxidase.) In the case of heart disease, recent research has shown that pear
fibers are able to bind together with bile acids in the intestine, lowering the pool of bile acids and decreasing
the synthesis of cholesterol. In addition, the phytonutrients in pear may play a special role in these fiber-bile
acid interactions. The ability of pear fibers (and other fruit fibers) to bind bile acids has actually been
compared to the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramine, with pears showing about 5% of the ability of the
drug to accomplish this result. (Among commonly eaten fruits, only bananas and pineapples showed more
bile acid-binding ability at 9% and 6%, respectively.)
Reduced Cancer Risk
The health benefits of pear fiber also extend into the area of cancer risk. Fiber from pear can bind together not
only with bile acids as a whole, but also with a special group of bile acids called secondary bile acids. Excessive
amounts of secondary bile acids in the intestine can increase our risk of colorectal cancer (as well as other
intestinal problems). By binding together with secondary bile acids, pear fibers can help decrease their
concentration in the intestine and lower our risk of cancer development. In the case of stomach cancer (gastric
cancer), intake of pears has also been shown to lower cancer risk. Here the key focus has not been on pear fiber,
however, but on pear phytonutrients, especially cinnamic acids (including coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and 5caffeoylquinic acid). In a recent study from Mexico City, it took approximately 2 total fruit servings per day and
4 daily vegetable servings to accomplish a decrease in gastric cancer risk. Pears and mangos were among the key
foods determined to provide cinnamic acids in the study.
Esophageal cancer (specifically, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or ESCC) is a third cancer type for which
pear intake helps lower risk. In a very large-scale study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the
American Association of Retired Persons (involving 490,802 participants), pears were found to be a key food
associated with reduced risk of ESCC. Interestingly, numerous foods belonging the rose (Rosaceae) family were
also found to lower risk of ESCC, including apples, plums, and strawberries.
Other Health Benefits
It's become fairly common to hear both laypersons and healthcare practitioners talking about pear as one of the
more easily digested fruits. In fact, many practitioners recommend that pear be one of the first fruits considered
when it comes time to introducing an infant to his or her first pureed fruits. Even though we have been unable to
find large-scale human studies to support these digestibility claims, we don't question the fact that easier digestion
has been experienced by many individuals in the context of pears versus other fruits. One factor that may come
into play here is the low acid nature of pears, especially in comparison to widely enjoyed citrus fruits like lemons,
grapefruits, and oranges.
It's also become fairly common to hear pears being described as a "hypoallergenic" (low allergy) food. Healthcare
practitioners often allow clients to continue eating pears when following a low-allergy diet plan, and many
individuals report having fewer allergy-related symptoms when consuming pears versus other fruits.