Pears and Diabetes: Benefits, Risks, and Nutrition

21 Feb.,2024

 

Pears have been a part of Eastern medicine for centuries. They play a part in helping with everything from inflammation to constipation to hangovers.

We also know that pears can help control blood sugar and lower your chances of type 2 diabetes and stroke. They can even help you digest food better.

And, as a bonus, they’re a good way to make you feel like you’ve had a small treat with some added nutrition.

The glycemic index (GI) rates food and its effect on your blood sugar on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the GI level, the faster it makes your blood sugar go up.

Pears fall between 20 and 49 on the glycemic index. That makes them a low-GI food, mostly because they’re high in fiber. One small pear has about 7 grams of it. That's as much as 20% of the fiber you need each day. (Women should get about 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should shoot for 38.)

Some studies suggest that the pigments that give pears their color, called anthocyanins, can lower your chances of type 2 diabetes. We need more research to understand why this is and how eating pears might help if you have diabetes.

In addition to being a good source of fiber, pears are also high in vitamins C and K, as well as potassium and antioxidants. They’re also especially good for gut health, and they may help keep you regular, too.

What's more, there’s evidence that the antioxidants in fruits like pears may make you less likely to have heart disease or trouble with cholesterol.

When you have diabetes, it’s always important to think about carbohydrates. A small pear has about 22 grams of carbs, which is about 1.5 servings. You’ll want to factor that in when working pears into your diet.

As with any fruit, the best way to eat a pear is to eat the whole thing. The skin is where most of the nutrients are, particularly the fiber and antioxidants. That said, be sure to wash it thoroughly before you eat it.

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