Pears: The Cholesterol- Fighting Fruit Healing Power: Pears can help lower cholesterol Pears can help improve memory and alertness Pears can help keep bones strong. Pears contain a type of dietary fiber that is very effective for lowering cholesterol; it's called lignin, an insoluble fiber that helps usher cholesterol out of the body. Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, Associate Professor and chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine says, "Because of the lignin, eating pears on a regular basis can have a big impact on lowering cholesterol. There aren't many fruits that measure up to the lignin in pears." Pears contain another type of fiber called pectin, which is the same stuff you add to jellies and jams to help them jell. Pectin is a soluble fiber, meaning that it dissolves in the intestine, forming a sticky, gel-like coating. As with lignin, pectin binds to cholesterol, causing it to be removed in the stool. When you add up all the fiber in a single pear, you get about 4 grams, which is more than you'd get in a serving of Common Sense Oat Bran cereal or even a bran muffin. Eating just two pears will provide about 32% of the Daily Value for fiber. Getting The Most Out of Your Pears Keep it clothed. Most of a pear's fiber is in the peel. By eating pears with the skin on, you'll get the full complement of fiber, along with the cholesterol-lowering benefits, Says Dr. Camire. Fresh is better. While canned pears are convenient, they don't provide anywhere near the benefits of fresh, says Donald V. Schlimme, PhD, Professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland. For one thing, canned pears have been peeled, so they have lost most of their healing fiber. In addition, they may lose large amounts of nutrients during the canning process. This isn't to say that you don't gain anything from canned pears. You do, although you probably don't want it. A serving of canned pears packed in heavy syrup delivers 25% more calories than its fresh counterpart. Source: Prevention's New Foods For Healing, by Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health Books, ©1998 by Rodale Press, Inc. And Finally . . . Fresh pears make a healthy addition to your child's lunch menu. As important as the nutritional qualities of fresh pears, is the fact that kids love their sweet and juicy flavor. Introducing children to the delicious taste of fresh pears helps encourage healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime! Anjou pears, harvested in early fall in the Northwest, remain available nearly year-round, and can be included with confidence of availability throughout the school year. Bartletts are harvested earlier, in August, and are also an excellent menu item through December. The Bosc pear is a perfect choice for baking, or serving fresh with peanut butter or cream cheese. Tiny, sweet Seckels served whole make a healthy tray snack, just the right size for your youngest child. Be sure to pack pears when fully ripe, when they are at their maximum levels of sweetness and hold the most juices. Most pears, except Bartletts, don't change color as they ripen. Check for ripeness at the stem end, using slight pressure with your thumb. CHEF TIPS Pears from the Northwest Some variety of pears from the Northwestern states of Oregon and Washington are available nearly all year around, providing a reliable fruit that you can count on from August through June. Signature Desserts Pears provide an excellent fruit as the base for your own signature dessert. tthe sophistication of poached pears cannot be equaled. Breakfast Item Try baked pears for a breakfast item. They are fast, simple to prepare and depending on what you bake them with, they make a good low cal breakfast offering. Smaller Varieties The smaller pears, Seckels and Forelles, make attractive plate garnish. A half pear with center scooped out with a melon ball tool and filled with fresh fruit salsa, cream cheese, or simply acidulated and served on the entrée plate, adds interest to your plating. Pears Oxidize Pears, like apples, will oxidize, or turn brown when cut, and the flesh is exposed to air. To retard browning, acidulate with a mild solution of lemon juice and water. Try where possible, to avoid cutting pears until just before serving, if you are using them fresh. Try Forelles One of the most overlooked, and attractive pear is the Forelle. Yellow skinned when ripened, with a brilliant scatter of red "freckles," Forelles are an excellent fresh salad pear. Usually a smaller pear. Keeping Quality Another plus for Forelles is their keeping quality. With flesh a little more dense than other varieties, these smaller pears maintain their firm-ripe condition longer then some others, after they have ripened. Side Dish Think of sautéed pears, lightly spiced with cinnamon or dusted very very lightly, with powdered clove. (Clove is a powerful spice and can overwhelm the delicate flavor of pear.) Sautéed pears can be a novel and delicious accompaniment as a side dish for lamb, veal or poultry. Be Certain Pears Are Ripe! Be sure that you serve ripe pears, whether using them fresh or in a cooked dish. Unripened pears will have little juice or flavor, and an unripe pear, baked, poached or otherwise cooked, becomes rubbery and tasteless. Understand When A Pear is Ripe Know the pear ripening test: A pear will yield slightly to gentle thumb pressure at the stem end, not the fat, body part of the pear. Pears, like many fruits, ripen from the inside, around the core, to the outside. When the large part of the fruit ripens to softness, the fruit is over ripe on the inside. Nutrition In A Pear USA pears are nutritious and low calorie. You can be sure you are serving a healthy choice with pears. Only 100 calories to a 166 gram (medium) pear. As well, pears are an excellent source of potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Pears contain no saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium. They belong on your heart healthy menu section. Breakfast Starter For a great breakfast starter on the run, try a Pear Slushy. Blender fast, mix 1 cup of cored, pared and chopped Northwest Pears, 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup crushed ice. Blend 'til smooth. Makes 2 8-ounce servings. Red Pears Many different red pear varieties are available now, as production increases in the pear orchards of the Northwest. Red Bartletts and Red Anjous, both with thin, edible skins, are colorful additions to fruit and vegetable salads. Other summer and winter red varieties are also available. Pears Are Picked Before They Ripen Pears do not ripen satisfactorily on the tree, and if allowed to do so, will become grainy and dry. They are picked when they are mature, but still hard and not yet ripe. They will ripen at room temperature after they have been picked. The Right Pear for the Right Application . Bosc are a good baking, poaching pear because of their more dense flesh. Comice are best eaten as a dessert pear. Bartletts are a good all around pear, holding shape in cooking and as an aromatic and flavorful pear for salads. Anjous, Red or Green, are versatile enough to be used in any pear recipe. Source: USA Pears, Pear Bureau Northwest
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