John Myers
The varieties have names such as Clapps Liebling, Abate Fetal, Gute Luise, or Conference – the pears are sold freshly harvested. The fruit originally comes from the Caucasus and Anatolia. The first cultivated varieties are said to have existed in Greece around 3,000 years ago. The pear is a pome fruit and, like apples, apricots and almonds belong to the rose family.
Lots of fiber and little fruit acid
Since they contain only one to three grams per liter less fruit acid than apples (4 to 15 grams of acid per liter), but contain just as much sugar, they taste particularly sweet, are gentle on teeth, and are very digestible for acid-sensitive people and babies. Cooked, it is considered the ideal light food. Due to their high fiber content, pears fill you up quickly and promote digestion.
Rich in vitamins and minerals
The fruit is also rich in vitamins. The vitamin C in a pear covers about seven percent of the daily requirement for an adult. Folic acid, a B-complex vitamin, promotes blood formation in particular and plays a role in the build-up of feel-good hormones (e.g. serotonin). The pear is also a supplier of many important minerals such as iron, potassium, copper, iodine, magnesium, phosphate, and zinc. Due to the high potassium content, the fruit has a draining effect and alleviates kidney and bladder problems. As with the apple, most of the vitamins are under the skin of the pear. If possible, it should therefore be eaten with the skin on.
Buy and store pears properly
When buying, you should make sure that they are not sprayed. Don’t buy pears that are too ripe. They should only yield slightly when pressed with a finger. Ripeness can also be determined by the color: if a pear is lighter, it is already very ripe. If you buy a large quantity, you should store most of it in the fridge and only put what you need for the next day or two in the fruit bowl. This prevents too many ripe fruits.
