Fruit · Glycemic index
Do pears spike blood sugar?
Not much. Pears have a low GI of 33, and a 178 g serving (1 medium pear) has a low glycemic load of 7. Pears have one of the lowest GIs among fruits and plenty of fiber, so a whole pear is a gentle choice for blood sugar.
Key numbers
- Glycemic index
- 33
- Low GI
- Glycemic load
- 7
- Low GL
- Available carbs
- 22 g
- 5.5 g fiber
- Serving
- 1 medium pear
- 178 g · raw
GI vs GL for pears
The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For pears: 33 × 22 g ÷ 100 ≈ 7.
That figure comes from a single published test in the 2021 international GI tables (“Pear, Williams, raw, ripe/soft (Australia, 2015)”), so treat it as approximate. No published mean exists. The same study tested Williams pears at two stages: ripe and soft (33, shown here) and under-ripe and crunchy (24).
Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.
How to eat pears with less of a spike
- Choose pears that are still slightly firm; under-ripe Williams pears tested 24 against 33 for ripe ones.
- Eat the whole fruit rather than pear juice or nectar.
- Pair slices with a little cheese or a few walnuts for an afternoon snack.
Other low-GI choices
Compare with
Frequently asked questions
What is the glycemic index of pears?
Pears have a glycemic index of 33, which is low. That figure comes from a single published test in the 2021 international GI tables (“Pear, Williams, raw, ripe/soft (Australia, 2015)”), so treat it as approximate. A 178 g serving (1 medium pear) contains about 22 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 7 (low).
Is pears good for prediabetes?
Pears are an excellent fruit choice for prediabetes. Eat them whole; a firmer pear tested even lower than a soft, ripe one.
Does ripeness change a pear's GI?
Yes. In a 2015 Australian study, under-ripe, crunchy Williams pears had a GI of 24 and ripe, soft ones 33 — both low. That matches the general rule that riper fruit tends to have a higher GI.
Sources
GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625–1632, Supplemental Table 1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169118: Pears, raw
- The University of Sydney, Glycemic Index Research Service — GI database search
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source — Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar
Data last checked .