Know2eat

Pears

Pyrus communis

What pears has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About pears

A pome fruit of the Rosaceae family with soft granular flesh, ripening off the tree rather than on it. Most of its fibre and polyphenol content sits in the skin.

Also known as European pear, Bartlett, Conference, Anjou

Gut & Digestive HealthWeight Management

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Bowel regularity

Gut & Digestive Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited. Pear and pear juice are used clinically as a gentle osmotic laxative on the basis of their sorbitol content, and the physiology is well understood, but controlled trials in adults are few and small.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Satiety and appetite

Weight Management
Insufficient evidence

Whole fruit with intact fibre is generally more filling than juice, but pears specifically have barely been tested for appetite or energy intake outcomes. There is no dependable finding for this fruit.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Pears

Ask about Pears

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories57 kcal3%
Protein0.36 g1%
Total fat0.14 g0%
Carbohydrate15.2 g6%
Fibre3.1 g11%
Total sugars9.75 g—
Water84 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.022 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.084 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.094 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.093 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A1 µg0%
Vitamin C4.3 mg5%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.12 mg1%
Vitamin K4.4 µg4%
Thiamin (B1)0.012 mg1%
Riboflavin (B2)0.026 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.161 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.049 mg1%
Vitamin B60.029 mg2%
Folate7 µg2%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline5.1 mg1%
Minerals
Calcium9 mg1%
Iron0.18 mg1%
Magnesium7 mg2%
Phosphorus12 mg1%
Potassium116 mg2%
Sodium1 mg0%
Zinc0.1 mg1%
Copper0.082 mg9%
Manganese0.048 mg2%
Selenium0.1 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene14 µg—
Alpha-carotene1 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin44 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.32 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Pears, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169118).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    High sorbitol and fructose load

    Pears are among the highest common fruits for both sorbitol and excess fructose. They are a standard trigger in irritable bowel syndrome, and pear juice is used deliberately as a mild laxative in infants for the same reason.

  • Allergy

    Birch-pollen oral allergy syndrome

    Pear carries a Bet v 1 homologue that cross-reacts with birch pollen. Peeling helps somewhat and cooking usually abolishes the reaction.

  • Avoid

    Seeds contain amygdalin

    Like apple pips, pear seeds release small amounts of cyanide when chewed. Swallowing a few whole is inconsequential; deliberately grinding and eating them is not sensible.