WHY IS PEAR SO DEAR

Abstract

Nature has blessed us with superb flora and fauna, which has made our life lovely. One of these wonders is Pear fruit. Pear is a gently sweet and juicy fruit with buttery texture. In Sanskrit, it is named as 'Amritphale' because of its immense potential in human health care. Pear is distributed in temperate regions all over the world. Pear makes an excellent dietary supplement being rich in minerals, nutrients and vitamins. Pear has unique phyto-constituents, which have numerous medicinal properties. Arbutin present in Pear acts as a skin whitening agent and is used in cosmetic preparations. Consumption of Pear on daily basis prevents the danger of uterine cancer especially in menopausal women. Pear has good wound healing property. Eating a Pear before a big drinking session can significantly reduce your blood alcohol level and hangover symptoms. Pear influences certain enzymes in our body in such a way that alcohol is metabolized quickly. Pears maintain pH level of the body. Its boron content helps the body to retain calcium, which in turn retards osteoporosis. It is also used as an energy drink and has properties like hypolipidemic, anti-oxidant, sedative, anti-inflammatory, hepato-protective, anti-bacterial, urodisinfectant, analgesic, spasmolytic, anti-diabetic and anti-pyretic. It is recommended for weaning babies as it is not too harsh on a baby's digestive system. This versatile fruit has several cuisines as well as cosmetic uses. The objective of this review article is to summarize the nutritional value, health benefits, phytochemical composition, pharmacological actions and medicinal properties of Pear.