Obesity can cause a myriad of health problems. Adding high fiber foods to your diet can help with a weight loss or weight management program. One example of how to incorporate a healthy, high fiber food in your diet is to select dehydrated pears for a snack or add them to your breakfast oatmeal. The fiber content of pears also supports digestive and intestinal health. Pears are a good source of potassium. Potassium is necessary for good heart health and blood pressure management. It assists with maintaining a balance of fluid in your cells and organs. The antioxidants in pears help prevent colon, breast, lung and prostate cancer. A source of pain for many people comes from inflammation. Arthritis and gout are two examples of inflammation-related diseases. Pears contain antioxidants and flavonoid that reduce inflammation and lessen the pain associated with inflammatory diseases. Pears are a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C does more than protect against colds. It also expedites the healing of wounds and assists with repairing damaged blood vessels. Adding dry pears to your culinary dishes or to your snack selection can provide you with two minerals that many people are deficient in. Pears are a good source of iron and copper. A deficiency in these minerals can cause fatigue, anemia, impaired cognition and muscle weakness. Pears contain the minerals magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and calcium which are essential to good bone health. Pears also contain vitamins that support eye, hair and skin health.
Free radicals can cause a number of adverse health conditions. The role of antioxidants is to eliminate these free radicals from the body. By adding dried pears to your snack routine, you can acquire numerous antioxidants that will help you stay healthy. Pears contain the antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin A. They are also a good source of omega 3 -fatty acids and vitally important phytonutrients and flavonoid compounds such as beta-carotene, lutein and zea-xanthin.
Diabetics must be careful when selecting fruits to include in their diet. Typically, fruits with a low glycemic index that are high in fiber are good choices for diabetics. A pear has a glycemic index of 33 which puts it in an acceptable range to be included in a diabetic diet. Their high fiber content assists in maintaining acceptable blood glucose levels. Additional features that make pears a diabetic-friendly food are that they are low in carbohydrates and calories. Pears contain Levulose which is a natural sugar that is easily converted into energy.
Vitamin C is revered for the support it provides the immune system. When winter cold and flu season begins approaching, people tend to increase their intake of vitamin C. Adding pears to your diet is a tasty way to add vitamin C to your diet and boost your immune system. It’s beneficial to your overall health to acquire the recommended amount of vitamin C throughout the year, not just during the winter months. Regularly consuming fresh pears and dried pears is a great way to keep your immune system strong so that it can fight off numerous infectious diseases that can attack it at any time. The antioxidants found in pears are also a contributing factor in building and maintaining a strong immune system.
The precise time for harvesting pears varies according to the variety of pear. Generally, pears are harvested when they reach full size and turn from green to yellow. This is one fruit that should be harvested before it reaches its ripened stage. The fruit should still be hard when it’s removed from the tree. With most varieties, the fruit will easily break away from the stem when you reach up to pick it. After harvesting the nearly ripened fruit, it will need some time to ripen before you eat or dry it. It is suggested that the pears be placed in a paper bag for about a week before eating them . This allows them to ripen and reach the maximum level of flavor.
Pears can be dehydrated in a dehydrator. To do so, simply peel, core and slice the pears into ¼ to ½ inch slices. Place slices on a single layer on a dehydrator tray. Dry slices between 130F and 140Ffor 8 to 10 hours. When pears are leathery with no moist spots left on them, turn off the dehydrator and let slices cool for at least 10 minutes. Dehydrated pears should be stored in an air tight container out of direct light.
Pears can also be dried in a conventional oven on baking sheets. Peel, core and slice the pears. Place slices in a single layer on baking sheets. Dry the slices at the lowest setting for 6 to 10 hours. Let cool and store the dry pears in air tight containers.
