Pears are a healthy choice for Americans!
According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), Americans should eat fruit (about 2 cups per day for the average adult) to help reduce risk for chronic diseases. Based on scientific research, the DGA provide recommendations that promote health and reduce risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. For more information, visit http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/.
Recommendations from the DGA include:
- Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs.
- Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on an individual’s calorie level.
- Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.
- Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.
- Consume fewer than 2,300 mg of sodium (approximately 1 tsp of salt) per day.
- Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
- Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
- To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
What do pears have to offer?
Pears are an excellent source of fiber.
Pears are a good source of Vitamin C.
Pears are fat free and cholesterol free.
Pears are sodium free and provide 190 mg of potassium.
Pears are a nutrient-dense food.