Health Benefits (From WHFOODS.COM)

Protection from Free Radicals

Our food ranking system also qualified pears as a good source ofvitamin C and copper. Both of these nutrients can be thought of asantioxidant nutrients that help protect cells in the body fromoxygen-related damage due to free radicals. Vitamin C functions as anantioxidant in all water-soluble areas of the body, and in addition toits antioxidant activity, is critical for good immune function. VitaminC stimulates white cells to fight infection, directly kills manybacteria and viruses, and regenerates Vitamin E (an antioxidant thatprotects fat-soluble areas of the body) after it has been inactivatedby disarming free radicals.

Copper helps protect the body from free radical damage as a necessary component of superoxide dismutase(SOD), a copper-dependent enzyme that eliminates superoxide radicals.Superoxide radicals are a type of free radical generated during normalmetabolism, as well as when white blood cells attack invading bacteriaand viruses. If not eliminated quickly, superoxide radicals damage cellmembranes.

Treat your tastebuds to a delectable, juicy pear, and you'll betreating your body to 11.1% of the daily value for vitamin C along with9.5% of the daily value for copper.

Pears Promote Cardiovascular and Colon Health

Pear's fiber does a lot more than help prevent constipation andensure regularity. Fiber has been shown in a number of studies to lowerhigh cholesterol levels, good news to people at risk foratherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Fiber in the colon binds tobile salts and carries them out of the body. Since bile salts are madefrom cholesterol, the body must break down more cholesterol to makemore bile, a substance that is also necessary for digestion. The endresult is a lowering of cholesterol levels.

Fiber also binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon,preventing them from damaging colon cells. This may be one reason whydiets high in fiber-rich foods, such as pears, are associated with areduced risk of colon cancer. Additionally, the fact that low dietaryintake of copper seems to also associated with risk factors for coloncancer (increased fecal free radical production and fecal wateralkaline phosphatase activity) serves as yet another reason in supportof why this delicious fruit may be very beneficial for colonic health.

A Hypo-Allergenic Fruit