Pears are a very healthy fruit that can come in many different shapes and sizes, depending on the region in which the pear is grown. This fruit grows on trees and has a juicy but grainy texture, with a skin of varying colors -- green, yellow and red are the most common shades--giving way to a white or cream-colored interior. Each pear provides energy to fuel your day -- 133 calories per large pair -- and contains vitamins that promote tissue health.
Vitamin C
Pears can contribute a considerable amount of vitamin C to your diet -- roughly 16 percent of your daily required vitamin C, although the exact amount can depend on the size of your pear. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage by free radicals--oxygen-based compounds that can destroy the body's cells. Vitamin C also helps stimulate white blood cells, which work within your bloodstream to kill bacteria, contaminants and other germs that may cause illness.
Vitamin K
The average pear contains 13 percent of the daily value for vitamin K. Vitamin K is vital to your body's efficient blood clotting. This reduces blood loss and the risk of developing an infection. However, too much clotting of the blood can create a dangerous internal clot that could severely injure and even kill a person. Vitamin K helps regulate this clotting to keep your blood in check and healthy. It also promotes bone health by regulating bone mineralization.
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Vitamin A
Vitamin A is present in trace amounts in pears, although this fruit is not considered a good source of the vitamin. Vitamin A is best-known for its role in vision, particularly night vision. Other roles of vitamin A in the body include supporting the proper function of the immune system, bone development, and the reproductive organs. Only 41 international are found in one pears -- a modest amount of the 2,333 international units needed daily for women and 3,000 IU for men.
