All you need to know about... Pears
Pears have been enjoyed for centuries for all of their juicy deliciousness. Considering that more than 3,000 varieties are grown worldwide, it's easy to find your favourite soft and sweet or crisp and juicy. This fruit also offers serious nutritional benefits. Pears may help with weight management, improve digestion, reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, and much more. Pears are a good source of vitamin C and are packed with potassium, vitamin K, copper, magnesium, and B vitamins. Thanks to its soluble fibre, pears are considered a low glycemic fruit. One of life’s greatest pleasures is eating a sweet and juicy pear at its peak ripeness, but the versatile fruit can jazz up other dishes, sweet and savoury alike.
One of the most common types is the Packham (or Packham’s Triumph), which has green skin that turns yellow when ripe. The Williams (or Bartlett) is also common and has light green skin that also turns yellow when ripe. Both pear varieties have white, juicy flesh when ripe. Another common pear is the Beurre Bosc, which has an elongated, tapering neck and a greenish brown skin that becomes darker when ripe. The flesh is white and juicy and grittier than other varieties. It is a great cooking pear as it holds its shape well. The Josephine, Comice, Red (and green) d’Anjou, Winter Nelis and Winter Colis are also available throughout the season. The nashi or Chinese or Asian pear is not a cross between an apple and a pear but a unique species.
