Asian pears have a rounded shape and a firm, crisp texture that have earned them the nickname "apple pear." Whether you eat them alone, with cheeses or in salads, Asian pears are delicious. They're also nutritious, providing you with both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
Fiber
Each medium-sized Asian pear has 13 g of carbohydrate -- 4 percent of your recommended daily value of carbohydrate. Of these 13 g, 9 g are sugars and 4 g are dietary fiber. Eating just one pear provides 14 percent of your recommended daily value of dietary fiber. Asian pears contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which your body needs.
Benefits of Fiber
By eating an Asian pear, with its 4 g of dietary fiber, you'll be improving your health in several ways. The pear's insoluble fiber helps push food through your digestive system and makes stools bulkier. The soluble fiber component, which forms a gel in water, can help lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other Nutrients
A medium-sized Asian pear weighing 122 g has just 50 calories and no fat or cholesterol, the Centers for Disease Control reports. It also gives you 8 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin C and 2 percent of your daily value of iron. Asian pears are sodium-free -- a plus if you're watching your salt intake. Each contains 1 g of protein.
Selection and Storage
For the most nutritious and best-tasting fruit, select Asian pears that are firm and fragrant. Avoid Asian pears that are bruised, blemished, wrinkled or soft. According to the University of California Cooperative Extension, unwashed Asian pears will keep for as long as three months in the refrigerator. Pears kept at room temperature and out of the sun should be used within a week.
Varieties
Asian pears come in slightly different shapes and colors, depending on the variety. Some are a russet color and others a greenish yellow. Some are rounded and others more oval. According to the CDC, in U.S. markets you are most likely to find a Japanese type of Asian pear with a rounded shape and yellowish, smooth skin.
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