Apples and pears have a lot in common. Both are sweet, portable fruits that can be refreshing and crunchy or softer and milder. But how do they compare nutritionally?

Generally, they are quite similar. With about the same amount of calories and carbohydrates, apples and pears are also good sources of dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium. But when you’re directly comparing apples to pears, each has its standout nutrients.

Pears are superstars when it comes to fiber. That’s why registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor Natalie Rizzo calls pears her “secret weapon” in hitting her fiber goals every day. “Just one medium pear has 6 grams of fiber, which is about 20% of the amount you need each day,” Rizzo explained previously.

But apples have their benefits, too, including nutrients that support blood sugar management, heart health, gut health and more.

Apples Nutrition

One medium raw apple contains:

  • 95 calories
  • 0.5 grams protein
  • 0 grams fat
  • 25 grams carbohydrates
  • 4 grams fiber

Pears Nutrition

One medium raw pear contains:

  • 101 calories
  • 0.6 grams protein
  • 0 grams fat
  • 27 grams carbohydrates
  • 6 grams fiber

Fiber

If there’s one nutrient we could probably all use more of, it’s fiber.

Not only does fiber support your gut health and keep things moving regularly through your system, but it also has benefits for heart health and blood sugar control.

With 4 grams of fiber in a medium apple, this fruit is a solid source of dietary fiber. But pears are, perhaps unexpectedly, even more rich in fiber with 6 grams per pear.

That means a single medium pear provides about 20% of your daily value of fiber, making pears one of the highest-fiber fruits.

“Many people like pears because they are sweet and tender, but people don’t realize they are also rich in fiber,” Rizzo says. In fact, pears are the one food Rizzo recommends people incorporate into their diet when they’re looking to add more fiber.

While both apples and pears contain a good amount of fiber, pears are the winner here.

Protein

Dietitians generally recommend aiming for about 20 to 40 grams of protein per meal. And fruit, while delicious, isn’t typically a plentiful source of protein.

That’s true for both apples and pears, which both contain less than a gram of protein per fruit. (For the record, the fruits with the most protein include passion fruit, jackfruit and pomegranate.)

That said, either apples or pears are perfect to pair with a source of filling protein and heart-healthy fat, such as cheese, nuts, almond butter or hummus. The natural sweetness and gut-healthy fiber in the fruit perfectly complements the protein and fat in a dip or handful of nuts, for instance.

Together those ingredients make a well-balanced snack that will keep you full without spiking your blood sugar.

When it comes to protein, apples and pears are about even. Each fruit contains about half of a gram of protein.

Other Nutrients

Both apples and pears are great sources of additional nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

An apple contains about 11% of your daily vitamin C, while pears provide around 10% per fruit. They both contain the antioxidant compounds lutein and zeaxanthin, which support eye health.

Both fruits are also good sources of potassium. This is an essential mineral that plays important roles in blood pressure and heart health, as well as nerve and muscle function. (That said, both oranges and bananas contain more potassium.)

Additionally, pears are higher in copper, vitamin K and folate than apples. On the other hand, apples have about twice the vitamin A and beta-carotene that you’ll find in pears. However, the overall amounts of these micronutrients in apples and pears are “minuscule,” though, Rizzo says.

Considering their nutritional similarities and differences, both apples and pears are healthy, sweet sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. And both of these fruits made our expert-backed list of the healthiest fruits you can eat, meaning apples and pears both deserve a place in your diet.

But pears really stand out when it comes to fiber, Rizzo notes, a nutrient that most of us just don’t get enough of. So, if you’re normally an apple eater, branch out and grab a pear once in a while to get a little more of the gut-healthy good stuff.