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r Pears
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: High
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin C
Major mineral contribution: PotassiumAbout the Nutrients in This Food
Pears are high in dietary fiber, with insoluble cellulose in the skin, lignin
in the tiny gritty particles in the fruit flesh, plus soluble pectins. They are
high in sugars and have moderate amounts of vitamin C, concentrated in
the skin. Their most important mineral is potassium.
One six-ounce fresh pear, with skin, has 5.5 g dietary fiber and 7.5
mg vitamin C (10 percent of the RDA for a woman, 8 percent of the RDA
for a man).
Like apple seeds and peach pits, the seeds of pears contain amygda-
lin, a cyanide/sugar compound that breaks down into hydrogen cyanide
in your stomach. Accidentally swallowing a pear seed is not necessarily
hazardous for an adult, but there have been reports of serious poisoning
among people who have eaten several apple seeds (see apples).The Most Nutritious Way to Use This Food
Fresh and ripe, with the skin (for the extra fiber and vitamin C).Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
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