Jan 31 2009
Eating Pear Skins
Not Bear Skins, nor Bare Skins, but PEAR skins.
I baked a pear in the microwave this morning, first slicing it in half lengthways and removing the seedy and stringy area. I did this on a whim. Since I heard that pears can be used instead of apples in most baking recipes, I thought I would see what a “baked” pear would taste like.
I overheated the pear, but that’s beside the point I was going to make: I ate it with a spoon and tossed away the skins. The skins of some varieties of pears are tough and bitter, but it seems that throwing them in the garbage is not such a good idea.
Very Healthy Food Facts about Pears that I did not know:
- Pears contain a lot of antioxidants, fiber (aahhh) and vitamin C, ALL of which are MOSTLY in the Skin! The gritty pear skin fiber is the insoluble type, which means pears are an excellent laxative (aahhh).
- Pears can improve blood glucose levels, so are good for diabetics.
- Pears are hypoallergenic and is the only fruit that someone undergoing tests for food allergies is allowed to eat.
- Hydroxycinnamic acid in pears helps to prevent stomach cancer.
- Pears can reduce the inflammation of mucous membranes, colitis, arthritis, and gout.
- Pears contain the antioxidant and anticarcinogen “glutathione,” which aids in preventing high blood pressure that can lead to strokes.
And finally, there are 5000 (five thousand) varieties of pears, so “bon appetit!”
Sounds good! Happy Top Dropper Day!
I’d better start eating my pears! “Fiber, it does a body good”.
I happen to like pears and I’m on a pre-diabetic diet. This may be just what my doctor should have ordered.
So how did it taste? Did it taste okay after you’ve microwaved it? I ate a broiled pear once with white wine (broiled it with white wine), it didn’t taste too good so I didn’t try it again.
RE: After microwaving the pear, I thought it did not taste like a “baked” pear, but it was very juicy. Baked apples are better I think, and I might try baking a pear in the regular oven, but it seems like a lot of wasted electricity. Broiling pears might be interesting, but I too would leave out the white wine, I think. –Doug