One of the higher-fibre fruits, and it ripens after picking rather than before.
Pears carry more fibre than most fruit — around 3g per 100g, most of it in and just
under the skin.
They are unusual in that they ripen properly off the tree.
Left to ripen on the branch, the flesh turns gritty. That is why pears are sold firm and why
buying a soft pear usually means buying one about to turn.
Pears are high in sorbitol,
which is why they work for constipation and why they are a common IBS trigger. Both effects
come from the same compound.
Per 100g, with skin.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Check the neck, not the body. Press gently near the stem — if it
gives slightly, it is ready. The body stays firm even when the pear is ripe
inside.
Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate to hold
it.
Keep the skin on. A peeled pear loses most of its
fibre.
Pear juice for constipation in children is a long-standing
remedy, and the sorbitol is the reason it works.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that humans absorb poorly. It stays in the gut, draws water in
osmotically, and softens stool — a genuine, mechanical laxative effect rather than a
folk claim.
The same mechanism is why pears trigger bloating and pain in IBS. If pears
upset you, sorbitol is almost certainly why, and other fruits lower in it will be easier.
Diabetes: whole fruit over juice, portion aware, and better eaten
with protein or fat than alone.
IBS: several fruits are high-FODMAP
and commonly trigger symptoms — tolerance is personal.
Kidney
disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your numbers.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.