FOODS FOR THE ARTERIES- PEAR

PEAR- Effective blood pressure controller



French: Poire; Spanish: Pera.
Description: Fruit of the pear tree ('Pyrus communis' L.), a tree similar to the apple tree of the botanical family Rosaceae.


PROPERTIES AND INDICATIONS:
Pears are noted for their content of sugars (12.7%), while they are lacking in proteins (0.39%) and fats(0.4%). The most abundant of these sugars is fructose or levulose, which makes them well tolerated by diabetics.

Pears contain small amounts of vitamins C, E and B, The most important of the minerals they contain are potassium, magnesium, and iron. They are also a good source of trace elements such as copper and manganese, and, in lower proportion, zinc. The pear's vitamin and mineral content is slightly greater than that of apples .
The pear is also a good sources of vegetable fiber (2.4%), an amount that is slightly less than the apple (2.7%). In contrast to the apple, the pear contains a greter amount of insoluble fiber rich in lignin (the material that makes wood and wheat bran hard).
Soluble fiber is more effective against cholesterol, while the insoluble is a more effective laxative.
In terms of non-nutritive components, the pear contains a lower proportion of organic acids than the apple and a greater proportion of tannins. These are responsible for the absorbent and anti-inflammatory effect of pears.
The pear is also diuretic, remineralizing, a mild astringent, and refreshing. These are its primary medical indications:
-Hypertention: The pear's capacity to lower blood pressure has been known since antiquity. This is attributed to its diuretic effect. Today it is known, as well, that the pear contains no sodium, a mineral that tends to retain water within the body, thus increasing blood pressure.
Additionally, the pear is very rich in potassium, a mineral with the opposite effect of sodium. There are studies demonstrating that the higher the potassium intake, the lower the risk of hypertension. New studies are constantly appearing that relate diet to hypertension apparently unknown causes.
-Renal failure: The pear stimulates renal function, thus it is a highly recommended fruit in cases of renal failure due to nephritis or nephrosis. In addition to containing no sodium and being very low in proteins, the pear is a good source of potassium and produces a mild diuretic effect, all of which benefit renal disorders.
Abundant pear consumption is recommended in cases of cardiac, as well as renal edema (fluid retention).
-Excess uric acid: Pear consumption promotes the elimination of uric acid and other nitrogenated substances through the urine. It has an alkalizing effect on the blood, which is of benefit in detoxifying diets used to neutralize excess acid residues produced by a high-meat diet.
-Obesity: The pear should be included in weight loss diets because of its mild diuretic action and its depurative effect.
-Digestive disorders: When it is ripe and tender, the pear is digested rapidly and easily. There is evidence that shows that within 90 minutes of eating, it has been digested and has arrived in the large intestine. it has a mild astringent action and works against the intestinal putrefaction and flatulence occurring in case of colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) and intestinal dyspepsia (indigestion at the intestinal level).

PREPARATION AND USE
(1)Raw: It is important to chew pears well, particularly those that are hard and gritty-textured. They should generally be peeled (because of potential external contamination). However, in the case of the pear, the peel is of dietary value because of its diuretic value. Of course, they must be well washed, and, if possible, organically grown.
(2)Cooked: Cooked pears are easier to digest but the cooking process destroys most of their vitamins while the sugars and minerals remain intact.
(3)Compoted and jams.