FARGO, N. Dakota – Eating pears as part of a healthy diet could play a role in managing type 2 diabetes and diabetes-induced hypertension, according to a new study from North Dakota State University.
Findings were published in Food Research International.
The research built upon discoveries already made by a research team from UND and the University of Massachusetts, where the pulp and juice of pears impacted diabetes and hypertension and the bacteria Heliobacter pylori, which plays a role in intestinal ulcers.
The in vitro lab experiments showed how two pear varieties could help manage early stage diabetes and high blood pressure.
The compound credited in this study is a naturally occurring phenolic compound found in fruits. The pears studied had a higher phenolic content in the skin than in its flesh or pulp.
The study showed that the variety “Starkrimson” peel had the highest total phenolic content. The pulp extracts of the Bartlett cultivar, however, had higher total phenolics when compared with Starkrimson.
The researchers conclude that a diet rich in fruits – especially pears – had potential to better control blood glucose levels.
They suggest that more research be done to see if the results can be replicated in humans.