Pecans - Health Benefits

Pecans - Health Benefits

Carya illinoiensis
Family: Juglandaceae
Pecan is a large, beautiful tree that produces bountiful crops of delicious nuts. The largest member of the hickory family, pecan trees often grow to a height of over 70 feet with a spread of greater than 80 feet.  Pecans have large, pinnately compound leaves with each leaf bearing 7 to 13 leaflets. Nuts are borne on branch terminals in clusters of two to five. A fleshy green husk surrounds the nut during the growing season but splits open in October to reveal a light brown nut that is streaked with black mottles.  As husks dry and wither, nuts fall freely from the tree. Pecan nuts vary widely in size, shape, and shell thickness. Seedling pecan trees often produce small, thick-shelled nuts while trees grafted to improved cultivars produce large, thin-shelled nuts.

Can you imagine a pecan skyscraper? It would take 11,624 pecans, stacked end to end, to reach the top of the Empire State Building in New York City.

1. Heart Healthy 
No trans fat.
Lower cholesterol levels.
According to a study  published  in  the Journal of Nutrition, pecan-enriched diet lowered total cholesterol by 11.3%  and LDL cholesterol by 16.5%.

2. Antioxidants (Vitamin E) 

“Pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category  of foods to contain the highest antioxidant capacity.”  (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry) 

May help delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration from diseases like amyptropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known  as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
May protect against cell damage, may decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

“Adding just a handful of pecans to your diet each day may help inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping prevent coronary heart disease.” (Nutrition Research) 

3. Weight Control 
According to a research published in  the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nuts like pecans may aid  in weight-loss and maintenance by increasing metabolic rates and enhancing  satiety. In addition, nuts  can  also increase flavor, palatability and texture that can lead to greater dietary compliance.

4. Nutrient Dense 
Provides more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc.
Provides 2.7 gram of fiber per serving, which is 10% of recommended Daily Value.
High quality source of protein.
Sodium free (if purchased without added salt), which makes them  an excellent  addition to reduced sodium diet.