Food as Medicine: Pear (Pyrus communis and P. pyrifolia, Rosaceae)

The genus Pyrus consists of 30 deciduous species and is closely related to the genus Malus, which includes apples (Malus spp.). Both genera are part of the economically important Rosaceae family.^1,2 Similar to apples, Pyrus fruits are classified as pomes, where the seeds are contained in a central, compartmentalized core.³ The Pyrus genus is native to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.¹ Capable of living for more than 250 years, the pear tree is one of the longest-living fruit trees.¹ Cultivated pears are derived from one or two wild pear species widely distributed in Europe and western Asia.² Of the 5,000 varieties cultivated worldwide, the two species grown commercially are the European pear (P. communis) with its juicy, aromatic, bell-shaped fruit, and the Asian pear (P. pyrifolia) with its crisp and crunchy, apple-like shape and texture.^1,2,

The…