Dried pear slices are sweet treats that you can give in gift baskets, take on hikes or backpacking trips or eat for snacks at school or work. Fresh pears have a short shelf life, and dried pear slices are good alternatives to help you get enough fruit each day. Dried pear slices are nutrient-dense foods that can enhance your diet.
The serving size of dried pear slices is 1/2 cup. The serving weighs 90 grams, or 3 ounces. It contains 236 calories and 1 gram of protein. Pears are fat-free and cholesterol-free. A serving of dried pear slices contains 63 grams of carbohydrates, or 21 percent of the daily value for carbohydrates based on 2,000-calorie diet. Dried pears contain 56 grams of sugars in a 1/2-cup portion. These sugars are natural. The healthiest dried pears contain no added sugars, and you can read the list of ingredients to make sure it has no added sweeteners, such as sugar or corn syrup.
Dietary Fiber
A single serving of dried pear slices provides 7 grams of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber lowers your cholesterol and helps regulate your blood-sugar levels, according to MayoClinic.com. Women should get at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and men should get 38 grams. Fiber helps prevent constipation because of its laxative effect. A sudden intake in your fiber consumption can lead to cramping and diarrhea. A slow, gradual increase in your fiber intake can reduce these symptoms. Try adding 1 to 2 grams of fiber to your diet each day until you reach your daily goal for fiber intake.
Potassium and Sodium
A serving of dried pear slices provides 480 milligrams of potassium and only 5 milligrams of sodium. A high-potassium, low-sodium diet helps prevent high blood pressure and an increased risk for heart disease and stroke, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy adults should get at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium and no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Fruits, vegetables and beans are high in potassium and low in sodium.
Fruit Servings
Dried pear slices count toward your daily recommendations for fruit intake. The average American gets only 42 percent of the recommended intake of fruit, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. A healthy adult on a 2,000-diet should get at least 2 cups of fresh fruit or the equivalent in canned, frozen or dried fruit. A 1/2-cup serving of dried pears counts as a cup of fresh pears, so a cup of dried pear slices is enough to fulfill your daily recommendations.
Dried pear slices are sweet treats that you can give in gift baskets, take on hikes or backpacking trips or eat for snacks at school or work. Fresh pears have a short shelf life, and dried pear slices are good alternatives to help you get enough fruit each day. Dried pear slices are nutrient-dense foods that can enhance your diet.
The serving size of dried pear slices is 1/2 cup. The serving weighs 90 grams, or 3 ounces. It contains 236 calories and 1 gram of protein. Pears are fat-free and cholesterol-free. A serving of dried pear slices contains 63 grams of carbohydrates, or 21 percent of the daily value for carbohydrates based on 2,000-calorie diet. Dried pears contain 56 grams of sugars in a 1/2-cup portion. These sugars are natural. The healthiest dried pears contain no added sugars, and you can read the list of ingredients to make sure it has no added sweeteners, such as sugar or corn syrup.
Dietary Fiber
A single serving of dried pear slices provides 7 grams of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber lowers your cholesterol and helps regulate your blood-sugar levels, according to MayoClinic.com. Women should get at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and men should get 38 grams. Fiber helps prevent constipation because of its laxative effect. A sudden intake in your fiber consumption can lead to cramping and diarrhea. A slow, gradual increase in your fiber intake can reduce these symptoms. Try adding 1 to 2 grams of fiber to your diet each day until you reach your daily goal for fiber intake.
Potassium and Sodium
A serving of dried pear slices provides 480 milligrams of potassium and only 5 milligrams of sodium. A high-potassium, low-sodium diet helps prevent high blood pressure and an increased risk for heart disease and stroke, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy adults should get at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium and no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Fruits, vegetables and beans are high in potassium and low in sodium.
Fruit Servings
Dried pear slices count toward your daily recommendations for fruit intake. The average American gets only 42 percent of the recommended intake of fruit, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. A healthy adult on a 2,000-diet should get at least 2 cups of fresh fruit or the equivalent in canned, frozen or dried fruit. A 1/2-cup serving of dried pears counts as a cup of fresh pears, so a cup of dried pear slices is enough to fulfill your daily recommendations.