Pear Facts
Lisa Grentz, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
Pears are a widely popular fruit. Common pear varieties include Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc, Comice, and Seckel. This bell-shaped fruit has a yellow-green, red-orange, or yellow-orange skin attached to soft white flesh that surrounds a core with seeds.
One medium pear has about 100 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and provides 8% of your daily vitamin C and 4% of daily potassium needs. Pears also contain a small amount of iron, calcium, and B-complex vitamins. The majority of fiber is found in the skin, so pears should be eaten fresh, with the skin, for maximum nutrient and health benefits.
The high-water content of fiber-rich pears keeps stool soft and promotes bowel regularity. Pears also contain pectin, which is a fiber that nourishes gut bacteria. In addition to dietary fiber, pears contain antioxidants and other plant compounds that provide health-benefits to support heart health, promote microbiome health, and reduce inflammation.
If you’re looking to incorporate more pears into your diet, try this pear flatbread recipe. It is bursting with fall flavor.
Rosemary Pear Flatbread
1-pound bread dough/pizza dough, thawed (if previously frozen)
8-ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
4 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely dropped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 14-inch pizza pan and press dough into the pan. Crimp the edges slightly, to form a ridge. Mix mascarpone cheese with vanilla and spread on dough, almost to the edges.
In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cinnamon and heat until the mixture caramelizes a bit. Add pears and sauté until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the rosemary.
Arrange pears on pizza dough and bake until the crust is golden around the edges, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve.
For a more complete meal option, or to make this a bit more savory, consider adding prosciutto and lightly dressed leafy greens like arugula on top.