Pears are a favourite fruit at harvest time. They are sweet and delicious but leave them out on the counter for a day or two and they turn yellow and extremely soft. That makes them ideal for a simple dessert recipe that is delicious and straight from the paleo diet food list.
Pear Heaven
Ingredients:
- 4 soft D'Anjou pears
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
- 1 Tablespoon ground almonds
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions:
- Cut pears into slices or small bite sized chunks. Place in a small casserole dish with a lid.
- Toss in pecans and sprinkle with cinnamon and ground almonds. Top with coconut. Cover and bake
- at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until pears are hot. Serves 4.
Serve hot or cold. This delicious dessert also makes a great breakfast for those with a sweet tooth. For those not following the paleo diet this dessert hot goes great over ice cream.
Health Benefits of Pears
Most people eat pears because they enjoy them but there are a great number of health benefits in eating this humble fruit. Pears are an excellent source of
- vitamin A
- vitamin C
- folate
- potassium
- iron
- fiber
They are extremely good antioxidants and have been found by the USDA to have a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. This is the measure of the antioxidant activity of foods.
The health benefits of pears go beyond vitamins. Pears are thought to be helpful in:
- High Blood Pressure - pears contain glutathione which helps prevent high blood pressure and strokes
- Cholesterol - the pectin in pears is useful in lowering cholesterol levels
- Cancer - the antioxidants in pears help prevent free radical damage of cells
- Osteoporosis - the boron content in pears helps the body retain calcium thereby slowing or stopping osteoporosis
A list of the health benefits of pears exists at naturalfoodbenefits.com
Pecans are Delicious and Good For Your Health
As with walnuts, regular consumption of pecans can assist in lowering cholesterol. Medical research has shown that pecans are dense in plant sterols that are known to reduce cholesterol.
Pecans contain the unsaturated fatty acids that the American Heart Association recommends from nuts. The National Institute of Health`s DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet includes 4 to 5 servings of pecans a week.
Research from the New Mexico State University and Loma Linda University has shown that when pecans are part of the daily diet "bad" cholesterol is reduced.
Weight loss is also enhanced by including pecans in the daily diet. Studies have shown that as nut consumption increased body fat actually decreased. A study at Harvard School of Public Health showed that a weight loss plan including 35% of calories from fat including pecans allowed people to keep weight off longer.
Fruit and nuts are delicious and nutritious. Eating a nutrient-dense and delicious dessert can actually assist in maintaining good health.
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Joy Borthwick - Joy has been a Chartered Herbalist since 2001 and obtained her Herbal Consulting degree in 2005 from Dominion Herbal College. She has been ...
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