This blog post “Are Pears Good for Diabetes?” is sponsored by USA Pears.
Are pears good for diabetes? Let’s find out and review some delicious and blood sugar friendly ways to enjoy them!
*This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services. The article and the links contained in it provide general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical care. Do not use it in place of the advice of your physician or registered dietitian.*
Can people with diabetes eat fruit?
One of the biggest myths about nutrition and diabetes is that people with diabetes should not eat fruit. But, this is just simply not true!
In fact, a 7-year observational trial conducted in China found that adults who consumed higher amounts of fresh fruit had a statistically significantly lower risk of diabetes. These same researchers also found that adults with existing diabetes who consumed high amounts of fresh fruit had lower risks of death and development of major vascular complications. (As with any observational trial, this study shows an example of an association between these two factors, fruit consumption and lower diabetes risk, but not cause and effect. More research is needed to make a claim like that.)
And, the American Diabetes Association says fruit can be included in a diabetes-friendly eating pattern for people with existing diabetes.
Fruit comes with vitamins, minerals, and one of my favorite nutrition tools for managing blood sugars: fiber!
I recommend pairing fruit with additional sources of fiber, healthy fats, and protein. And/or opt for fruits that are an excellent source of fiber… like pears!
Pears and diabetes
As a registered dietitian, living with diabetes myself, pears are one of my favorite fruit choices to recommend for people with diabetes because of their fiber content. A medium sized pair (~6oz) will give you over 5g fiber!
Pears can be a good choice for people with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, and type 1 diabetes. I recommend pairing them with a meal or a protein source if you’re wanting to enjoy one for a snack.
Pear nutrition
But what about the type of pear you choose to eat? Are bartlett pears good for diabetes? Or, are bosc pears better for diabetes? While flavor profiles and color are different, the nutritional profile of almost all types of pears are very similar.
How many carbs are in pears?
A medium-sized pear has 27g Total Carbohydrate.
How much sugar is in a pear?
A medium-sized pear has 17g sugar.
Pears and fiber
A medium-sized pear has over 5g fiber. This makes pears an excellent source of fiber. But, does it matter if you eat the skin of a pear? Yes, over half of the fiber in a pear is in the skin.
Pear glycemic index
The glycemic index tells us how quickly a food can raise blood glucose levels. (It does not take into account how much carbohydrate is in a food.)
According to the American Diabetes Association, the glycemic index of pears is 33. Pears are considered a low glycemic index food.
| Low glycemic index foods | 0-55 |
| Medium glycemic index foods | 56-70 |
| High glycemic index foods | >70 |
Pears glycemic load
The glycemic load, however, is a more accurate picture of how much and how quickly a food may raise blood sugar levels. The glycemic load considers both how quickly a food can raise blood sugar levels and how much carbohydrate is in the food.
This tells us how much of an impact a food can potentially have on blood sugar levels. The glycemic load of a medium pear is 9.
| Low glycemic load | 0-10 |
| Moderate glycemic load | 11-19 |
| High glycemic load | 20 |
A medium pear is considered a low glycemic load food. Low glycemic load foods are considered more beneficial for people looking to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Nutrition benefits of pears
Research has shown that consuming adequate amounts of fiber is associated with a variety of health benefits. For example, a recently published scientific review [link] of 87 PubMed articles, found that dietary fiber may be associated with…:
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
- Good GI health
And, pears are an excellent source of fiber!
Canned pears vs. fresh pears
If you’d prefer to enjoy canned pears, do not stress. If they are canned in water or pear juice (not syrup) they are still considered a low glycemic index food. But, they may not have been canned with the peels still on them which means they may have less fiber than fresh pears.
9 blood sugar friendly ways to enjoy pears
- Pears + Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Pear yogurt bowl
- Low Sugar Pear Crisp
- Pear nachos
- Pears and pecans
- Roasted pears with plain Greek yogurt
- Pears + prosciutto
- Pears + almond butter
- Dark chocolate covered pears
1. Pears + Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Flavorful dry cheese pairs perfectly with the sweetness of pears. And, the protein and fat in cheese balance the fiber in pears perfectly.
2. Pear yogurt bowl
Pears are the perfect addition to a morning yogurt bowl! Try plain low fat Greek yogurt with pears.
3. Low Sugar Pear Crisp
I love a good low sugar fruit crisp recipe! And this recipe for pear crisp is not only blood sugar friendly (thanks to an almond flour and oat crumble combined with higher fiber pears), but also super tasty!
4. Pear nachos
Try slicing up some pears, spreading them out on a plate, and adding all your favorite blood sugar friendly toppings like nuts, nut butter, chia seeds, and shredded coconut.
5. Pears and pecans
This is a simple combo and perfect for on-the-go snacking! Pair one medium sized pear with 1/4 cup shelled unsweetened pecans.
6. Roasted pears with plain Greek yogurt
This one is perfect for a warm cozy treat at home! Cut a pear in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes on 350 degrees F and then fill the center with plain Greek yogurt or a flavored low sugar yogurt.
7. Pears + prosciutto
It’s like a little mini charcuterie board! I love prosciutto, but any style deli meat will work. Try to opt for options that are uncured and lower in sodium.
8. Pears + almond butter
You’ve likely seen apples and peanut butter on most snack lists, but have you tried pears and almond butter? It’s delicious and thanks to the plant based fat in the almond butter and the fiber in our pears, it’s a great balanced blood sugar friendly snack.
9. Dark chocolate covered pears
I saved my favorite for last. Take your favorite no added sugar dark chocolate, melt it, and then dip your pear slices in it. You can enjoy them right away, or let them cool in the fridge for a bit while the chocolate hardens.
Want to learn more about pears?
Head on over to the USA Pears website for more information on pears, nutrition, and some delicious recipes!
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388466/
- https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/fruit
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169118/nutrients
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-pears
- https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/31/12/2281/24911/International-Tables-of-Glycemic-Index-and
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/glycemic-load
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7589116/
