From: Stemilt Nutrition Roundup Newsletter - March 2007
Proponents of pear consumption and better health say don’t forget fresh Northwest pears when it comes to disease prevention.
Pears are believed to contain high levels of disease-fighting phytochemicals, natural plant compounds that occur in fruits and vegetables. Research by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that the phytochemicals in pears, and consequently the high level of antioxidants in pears, are especially helpful in the battle against brain-depleting diseases.
The USDA has found that pears have a very high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). ORAC is a way of expressing a measure of the antioxidant activity of food. Antioxidants help prevent damage caused by free radicals, which are byproducts of reactions between oxygen and foods when energy is created. Free radical damage increases when diets are antioxidant-poor, because free radicals are allowed to roam the body damaging other cells and tissues. To reduce the chance of damage, the USDA recommends a diet high in antioxidant-containing foods, such as pears.
In addition, pears are high in soluble fiber, the type which reduces blood cholesterol. Lower cholesterol has been found to help prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Patients who suffered from these diseases have also been found to have a higher incidence of memory-depleting illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.
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