Del Monte Sliced Pears, Lite: Nutrition Facts & Labelgrade B- (73/100)
B- 73 / 100 — Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, and very low sodium.
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Del Monte Sliced Pears, Lite, Lite delivers 0g of protein and 59.5 calories per 0.5 cup (USDA FDC 2617964). Per 100g that’s 0g of protein; per oz, 0g. The Labelgrade is B- (73 / 100): Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, and very low sodium.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | D | 50 / 100 | 0g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 80 / 100 | Short 3-ingredient list, no additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 4.96mg per serving (1mg per oz) — low |
| Sugar load | D | 52 / 100 | 12g sugar; USDA omits the added-sugar line, but the ingredients list a sweetener — scored as added, not naturally-occurring |
| Fiber | D | 41 / 100 | 1.98g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | B- | 73 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Monte Sliced Pears, Lite, Lite (this product) | 0g | 0g | 0g | 59.5 |
| Del Monte Foods Inc. Del Monte, Sliced Peaches In Heavy Syrup | 0g | 0g | 0g | 99.8 |
| Del Monte Fruit Cocktail In Extra Light Syrup, Lite | 0g | 0g | 0g | 59.5 |
| Dole Mandarin Oranges In 100% Fruit Juice | 1g | 0.8g | 0.2g | 90.3 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
What “Lite” actually buys you
The whole grade here turns on three words on the front of the can: in light syrup (Del Monte markets it as “Lite”). Canned pears come three ways — heavy syrup, light syrup, or 100% juice/water — and they’re the same pear underneath. The packing liquid is the only thing that moves the number.
Light syrup is water with a modest amount of dissolved sugar, far less than the heavy-syrup pack. That’s why these pears land at 60 calories and 12g of sugar per 1/2 cup, while Del Monte’s heavy-syrup peaches, made essentially the same way, sit at 100 calories and 21g. Same fruit, nearly double the sugar — purely because of what they’re floating in. Choosing “lite” over “heavy” is one of the cleanest swaps in the canned aisle: you give up nothing about the fruit and shed roughly a third of the sugar and calories.
What “lite” does not do is turn fruit into a protein food. Pears bring 0g of protein and only about 2g of fiber per serving, so even the best-packed can caps at B-, not A. Read this as a genuinely good way to eat fruit — not as a substitute for a protein source.
Drain the syrup and the math gets better
The sugar on the label counts the fruit and the liquid it’s swimming in. Some of those 12 grams are dissolved in the syrup, not locked inside the pear — which means you can leave a chunk of them in the can.
Tip the slices into a colander, let the liquid run off, and you eat the fruit without drinking the sweetened water. A quick rinse trims a little more. You lose almost none of the pear’s actual nutrition this way — the vitamins and fiber are in the flesh, not the syrup — so draining is close to free. It’s the single highest-leverage habit for canned fruit: it costs ten seconds and quietly lowers the sugar you swallow on every serving.
Scope
This page covers Del Monte Sliced Pears, Lite, Lite (15 oz/425 g), UPC 024000167303, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2617964. Del Monte sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
PEARS, WATER, SUGAR.
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 0.5 cup
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (0.5 cup) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 59.5 |
| Protein | 0g |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.98g |
| Total Sugars | 12g |
| Sodium | 4.96mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 0mg |
| Iron | 0mg |
| Potassium | 54.6mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Del Monte, Sliced Pears, Lite, Lite (15 oz/425 g) · UPC 024000167303. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Is canned fruit healthy?
Yes — canned fruit keeps most of the vitamins and fiber of fresh fruit, and these sliced pears are a real, recognizable food. What decides how healthy a can is comes down to the packing liquid. These pears are in a light syrup (water plus a little sugar), which keeps them close to fresh fruit. The heavy-syrup versions are the ones that drift toward dessert.
Why does this product score B- (73/100)?
It loses points the same way all fruit does: no protein, and a notable natural sugar load (12g per 1/2 cup). But it earns the top spot in the canned-fruit group because the 'lite' pack adds only a small amount of sugar — much less than heavy syrup — so the total stays at 60 calories. Perfect saturated-fat and sodium scores round it out to B-, the best grade in this set.
What does 'Lite' mean here — and is it better than pears in heavy syrup?
'Lite' means light syrup: the pears sit in water with only a small amount of added sugar, versus the heavy-syrup packs that are essentially canned in sweetened liquid. The difference is real — these come in at 60 calories and 12g sugar per 1/2 cup, while Del Monte's heavy-syrup peaches run 100 calories and 21g sugar. For the same fruit, lite is the clearly better choice.
How big is a serving, and should I drain the liquid?
A serving is 1/2 cup (124g). Yes — drain the syrup before eating. Even in a light pack, some of the added sugar lives in the liquid rather than the fruit, so draining (or a quick rinse) trims the sugar you actually swallow without touching the pear's own vitamins or fiber.
Is there a better canned-fruit pick?
For the lowest sugar, look for pears packed in 100% juice or in water rather than any syrup, and drain them. Those keep you closest to plain fresh fruit. Among syrup packs, this 'lite' (light syrup) version is already near the top — just skip anything labeled 'heavy syrup.'
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2617964. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.