December is National Pear Month. No, I have never heard of this before either, but I am guessing it’s been created to help promote the consumption of pears. However, that’s not a bad thing at all since Pears are a great source of Nutrition and are low in calories for people on a calorie controlled diet. Pears are also good source of fibre, Vitamin C and they contain potassium; they are also sodium and cholesterol free.
I used to feast on them as a child because we had a pear tree in our garden and my mum never used to buy junk food, hence I ate the fruit that was available.
I hadn’t realized how many different types of pears there were, ten varieties none the less! I must admit I do tend to stick to the same ones Conference and Williams, but I might try some of the other varieties and really go mad!
I was interested to read this latest study that showed that fresh pear consumption was associated with better nutrient intakes, diet quality and weight parameters in adults, by ‘The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2010’. People who ate fresh pears had a lower body weight than people who didn’t. People who ate pears tended to have a better quality diet.
I think pears often get overlooked for the more popular apples, bananas and oranges. So if you don’t eat them and like them, you might want to start incorporating them into your diet.
There are lots of ideas you can use to start incorporating pears into your diet. Here are some for you to try: –
Pear Snack Ideas
• Slice pears on top of whole-grain toast with nut butter
• Wrap pear slices in prosciutto
• Pair pears with blue cheese, Parmesan or aged white cheddar
• Dip pears into yogurt
• Pack a pear with a small portion of nuts
• Smear slices with almond or cashew butter
• Sprinkle diced pears onto chia pudding or porridge
You could even add pears to your favorite glass of Sangria or Pimms, if you are feeling a little indulgent!
Sources
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2005/2
http://usapears.org/snacking/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/303782.php
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