•Pears can be eaten raw, their crispy sweet and soft flesh makes an excellent salad.
•They are also good for teething babies if steamed to prevent choking.
Flourishing in cold areas of Kenya, specifically in Limuru, Mt. Kenya and western Kenya, pears are sweet bell-shaped fruits with white flesh that have been enjoyed since ancient times.
Pears can be eaten raw and their crispy sweet and soft flesh makes an excellent salad and are also good for teething babies if steamed to prevent choking.
They can be eaten with ice cream as dessert, baked in pastries or added to stews.
Pears also offers a lot of health benefits and have been shown to promote good gut health.
Lower diabetes risk.
Due to its high fibre content, pears slow down digestion, giving your body time to break down and absorb carbs. Doing this helps to regulate your blood sugar level.
Maintaining a more regular blood sugar level helps prevent and control diabetes.
Pears are good for your heart health.
Packed with many antioxidants, pears have been shown to decrease the chances of strokes by 9 per cent.
The antioxidants also decrease inflammation in the body as well as stiffness in the heart tissue.
In addition, pears pack several vitamins and minerals, such as copper and vitamins C and K, which also combat inflammation.
This helps reduce the spike in blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Not only are they good for people with heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but pears are also good for people with arthritis.
Pears are good for your digestive system.
Packed with soluble fibres, pears are a good source of prebiotics that help improve the digestive system's health.
Its insoluble fibres, help maintain bowel regularity and bulk up stool, preventing diarrhoea.
Research recommends eating the fruit unpeeled for you to benefit from its fibre content; ensure it is thoroughly washed before consuming.
Pears are good for eye health.
Pears with green skin may help promote eye health since it contains compounds that help reduce risks associated with age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases.
It also has carotenoids that may help protect your eyes from the damaging effects of blue light especially given off by phones, tablets and various gadgets.
It may offer anticancer effects
A study shows that pears are packed with compounds that may help fight cancers of the bladder, lungs, breasts, ovaries and stomach.
However, it is important to note they do not cure cancer, only to reduce the chances of developing the disease.
It is advised to eat at least one or two pears every day to meet your fruit needs as outlined by the Dietary Guidelines.
Eating too much can cause stomach bloating, nausea or vomiting.