HEALTHY LIVING: Munch a pear this season for a healthy you

People are used to eating bananas, pineapple and even apple fruit, but little is known about the pear fruit. Thanks to Nakumatt supermarket my family and I can now sit and enjoy eating the pear fruit which is little known, rarely seen or found in Rwanda. Pears are delicious fruit that is a member of the rose family and are related to the apples. Pears generally have a large round bottom that tapers towards the top; the skin is yellow, green, brown, red or a combination of two or more of these colours depending on the variety. Like apples, pears have a core that features several seeds. Its size is about that of an apple with several seeds in the core. The skins vary in colour yellow, green, brown, red, or a combination of any of these colours. The white-yellowish colour flesh of pears is juicy, sweet and usually mild. Some varieties have grainy flesh. Pear generally contains iron but some variety has more iron content than others. This can be seen when a cut pear turns brown. If it doesn’t turn brown, it means that the iron content is very low or non-existent. Pears provide a good source of fibre, vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium. They are an excellent source of pectin, which is a water soluble fibre. Pears are actually higher in pectin than apples. This makes them effective in helping to lower cholesterol levels and in toning the intestines. They are often recommended by health care practitioners as a hypoallergenic fruit that is high in fibre. They are less likely to produce an adverse response than other fruits. Pears are often recommended as a safe fruit to introduce to infants. Ends

Lifestyle

HEALTHY LIVING: Munch a pear this season for a healthy you