Answer: If there is any tree nut that deserves the title of being truly American, it would be the pecan. Pecan trees are native to the United States and since they can live and bear their fruit for nearly three hundred years, it’s certain they were a favorite protein source for not only Native Americans, but early European settlers as well. Here’s a great water fountain nugget of knowledge – pecans are not truly nuts, rather, they are a drupe fruit. A drupe is a fleshy fruit with a central stone which contains a seed. Walnuts, almonds, peaches, plums and cherries are also drupes. A true nut is a hard shelled pod that holds both the fruit and the seed of the plant, such as chestnuts, acorns and hazelnuts. Yet aside from peanuts, all nuts are generally referred to as tree nuts. The Algonquian name pecan actually means “nut requiring a stone to break” and began to be commercially grown and distributed in the early 1880’s. Raw pecans can be stored in the fridge for months and are a favorite in pies, cookies and ice cream, or eaten raw or roasted in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. There are many health benefits of pecans vs. other tree nuts that make them a great addition to a healthy lifestyle. High in fiber and protein – pecans contribute to a healthy colon, preventing constipation and reducing the risks of colon cancer and hemorrhoids. One cup of chopped pecans holds 10g of fiber compared to 4g for cashews and 8g for walnuts. The high fiber content of pecans is instrumental in weight loss, because fiber increases metabolism and gives the stomach the sense of being full for longer periods. With 9g of protein per cup, pecans offer a great protein solution for vegans and vegetarians. Heart and brain health is enhanced when you eat pecans, because the healthy monounsaturated fats like oleic acid along with phenolic antioxidants help prevent strokes and coronary artery disease. A serving of pecans contains 12g of healthy fats compared to walnuts which only hold 2.5g. – healthy fats contain Omega 3 which can reduce cholesterol levels as much as medication. Pecans also beat walnuts by supplying 49% of the trace mineral manganese, which is used by the body for brain function, carbohydrate and fat metabolism and connective tissue strength. Anti-cancer properties of pecans stems from their rich phytochemical substances such as polyphenolic antioxidant ellagic acid, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and lutein. All of these remove toxic oxygen free radicals which promote cancer and infections, in addition to preventing the binding of certain carcinogen cells, thus protecting the body from cancer. Reduce hair loss and stimulate hair growth by eating pecans which are a good source of iron and an an excellent source of L-arginine, an amino acid which, when applied topically helps treat male pattern baldness as well as encourage the growth of healthy hair. Pecans also have a significant amount of gamma tocopherol (a unique form of vitamin E) that contributes to healthy hair. Anti-aging benefits of pecans come from the high levels of anti-oxidants such as ellagic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E. Anti-oxidants eliminate the free radicals which cause premature skin aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines and patchy skin complexion. As a matter of fact, pecans have the highest antioxidant capacity when compared to eight other common tree nuts. Nutrition density of pecans is better than many tree nuts because they supply a generous amount of one or more nutrients compared to the number of calories. While lower in calories (196c/oz) than macadamia (204) and higher in vitamin B6 than almonds and brazil nuts, pecans are a great option for healthy snacks and calorie conscious diets.

Answer: The Federal Marketing Order (FMO) is a program that is put together through the USDA to help an industry raise funds from within the industry to market the product to the domestic market. The FMO for pecans helps us: Gather research (with the help of universities), Work together on regulations with FDA Produce commercials with nutritional research data found through the studies (think the “Got Milk” campaigns of the 90’s). The FMO is now officially in tact. It’s in process of electing a board from across the US. The FMO allows the opportunity to give industry and consumer reports into what is actually happening (statistically) within the pecan industry. We will be able to gather and show crop projections, holdings (inventory), etc. to help predict markets. Until the FMO, individual entities provided monetary donations for marketing pecans. Now farmers pay assessments per pound they produce. What does this mean for farmers? It should mean the world to pecan growers. It means stabilization. It means having an initiative in place that is marketing the product that they have in the ground. Growing pecans is not a short-term project; it takes ten years before they start to produce well. That being said, we can’t have a short term fix for a long-term problem. We have to have a long term initiative in place to give our farmers a hope that there will be a lucrative market in place for this inventory ten years down the road. In the big scheme of things, our industry is extremely small. Pecans are at 300 million lbs., give or take, annually. Walnuts at 1.2 billion, and almonds are at 2 billion lbs +/- annually. Almost every almond and every walnut are produced in California; not any other states. By 2020, they’re projecting almonds could be at 2.5 or 3 billion lbs. We’re really a drop in the bucket. What does this mean for the end consumer? I think the FMO will redefine the pecan to consumers. As a healthy nut, a nut that you can eat, as a snack, not just as a dessert. The FMO is not the pacifier in our mouth that will just make us happy for the next ten years. The work is just about to begin. We as producers have to be diligent and smart and work hard in what we do with this FMO to benefit from it. What does it mean for pecan prices? More stability. You should see less fluctuation. You shouldn’t see pecans at $12 one year and $7 the next. Instead, you might see them at $10 and $8, respectively. As we get more organized and as data gets better to our customers and the retailers, it will help them make better buying decisions on the inventory they need. The bottom line: the FMO should allow all of us to make better and more stabilized decisions; all the way to the consumer.

Answer: 31% of American adults have high cholesterol. Advances in science, namely the use of medicines like Lipitor, have helped reduce bad cholesterol for millions of Americans, but it is still a problem that affects a large portion of our population. We have discussed some of the health benefits of pecans, but how does eating pecans directly affect your cholesterol levels? In the book Health Benefits of Pecans (James L. Hargrove, PhD, et. al.), the authors discuss the benefits of pecans to people with high cholesterol. The authors reviewed a study at Loma Linda University which “evaluated the effect of pecan consumption on cholesterol in people following a Step 1 cholesterol-lowering diet that had been proposed by an expert panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program.” The findings? “The main result of the Loma Linda study was that a pecan-enriched diet significantly lowered total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TG (triglycerides) while increasing HDL-cholesterol. These changes are all consistent with better heart health. Strikingly, the lipid profile was improved even compared to the Step 1 diet that is intended to improve heart health! Adding pecans improved blood lipids even though total fat intake increased. Despite the increase in fat intake, subjects eating pecans did not gain significant body weight.” For reference, LDL is low-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as “bad cholesterol” (vs. high-density lipoprotein, which is considered “good”). This is just one of the many health benefits of adding pecans to your daily diet.

Answer: Nuts have been a large part of American lives since childhood. Who hasn’t had a big bowl of popcorn mixed with pecans and sprinkled with butter and brown sugar then baked in the oven for a wonderful movie-night snack? Show of hands: how many readers sneaked a handful of pecans while “helping” Mom make pecan pies for the holidays? It’s too easy to stop at a convenience store to grab a bottle of water and a package of pecans to snack on at work, at school, at the gym after working out and pretty much any time at all. We bet you didn’t know just how many health benefits of pecans there really are! One: Weight Loss Studies have shown that even though pecans are 70 percent monounsaturated fat (the good kind of fat), the rich buttery nut gives a feeling of satiety. Pecans increase the metabolism, which in turn fosters weight loss. The nuts are also a healthy source of B-vitamins, which are instrumental in weight loss. The Vitamin E content in the nuts helps build muscle; eating pecans helps you build lean muscle mass. Zinc helps the body metabolize sugars, while magnesium helps the glucose to be turned into energy and keeps your blood sugar low. All in all, the little nuts contain vitamins and minerals that help the body from the cellular level on up to keep body weight where it should be. Fun fact: Native Americans used the pecans not only for a food source, but also as a liquid. They pounded the pecans and mixed them with water to produce milk they fed to their babies and elders. Two: Skin Benefits A healthy pretty complexion is no accident. Proponents of natural or organic methods of maintaining a healthy body espouse foods as “medicine”. Vitamins and minerals do several things at the same time, and they do them well. We’ve just read how zinc contributes to a healthy weight. Did you know it also acts in concert with other vitamins and minerals to wash toxins and other unhealthy things from the body and preventing infections? These things leave the skin looking clean and healthy. Vitamins A and E in addition to ellagic acid combine to prevent skin aging by acting as antioxidants to the free radicals that break down and threaten the health of cells. Fun fact: There are so many pecan trees in Texas that in 1919 the tree was established as the state tree. Butter pecan ice cream originated in Texas. Three: Hair or No Hair An iron deficiency can do a lot of damage to the body, mainly causing anemia. Anemia causes hair loss. Pecans are loaded with iron which will grow hair on heads that are losing it. Amino acids are another substance the body needs but does not produce on its own. We must get all nine of the basic amino acids from our diet. Pecans are chock full of L-arginine, an amino acid that helps keep hair from falling out. Healthy heads need blood flow in the arteries to reach the follicle growing hair. L-arginine does this. Those who are bald need this particular substance to grow hair and keep it there. Fun fact: It takes 12 years for a pecan tree to grow to maturity. After that, it can produce for up to 300 years. We take our skin, hair and body with us everywhere we go every day. Doesn’t it make sense to ensure that these items are the tip-top healthiest they can be? To that end, we invite you to eat a little pecan butter every day to remain heart-healthy, with a healthy body weight, clear skin and with lots of hair! Purely Pecans More by Purely Pecans Share

Answer: When most people think about pecans, they think about sweets and desserts. Not many think about pecans from a health standpoint or a snacking standpoint, like you think of almonds. Almond producers have done a great job marketing it as a healthy snack. In reality, pecans are a healthy snack too. Pecans have more antioxidants than any other tree nut, and they’re full of “good fat.” The common misconception is that fat is bad, but some fat is really good for you. Food Labels Don’t Tell the Whole Story As American consumers, we have been trained to look at the label and think that because something is high in fat it means love handles. We have to retrain the way our brains interpret these labels. The fact is, fat is energy. Obviously, you have to have a balanced diet. Your body can only consume so much fat. I’m not saying that people need to be eating pecans 100% of the time. But, if you want something that is going to: Suppress your appetite and make you feel “full,” Contain lots of antioxidants, Be beneficial to your health, and Give you energy, from a resource like fat which your body is naturally supposed to be using, Then you need to make pecans a part of your diet. Not sugar, not complex carbs; something your body is supposed to be using. The fat in pecans is really really good fat, and we have done a bad job as a nation relaying that information. Rethinking “Healthy” Everyone thinks that the FDA has our best interest in mind, but then why in the heck can’t we market pecans, walnuts, and almonds— or even avocados and salmon, for that matter, as “healthy!?” According to the FDA, it’s because these foods have more than 3 grams of fat. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Fast food restaurants can fill our television screens with ads for hamburgers and sodas packed with bad fats and refined sugars, but we can’t label our pecans as “healthy?” Our nation faces an obesity epidemic, and we have to do a better job of educating consumers about what they should be eating. It rests on industries like ours to do that. We’ve got to get the data out there to consumers so they know that when they eat a handful of pecans a day or eat pecan butter on a banana in the morning for breakfast, they are enjoying a healthy snack.

Answer: There are lots of reasons you should keep pecans on hand if you’re looking for a healthy snack to help you get through the day. These surprising health benefits of pecans are brought to you by Nutrition and You and Natural Society. Pecans Keep Your Energy Up Nuts, in general, are a great source of energy. Pecans, however, are nature’s battery, and a handful of them can really perk you up if you’re starting to flag. 100 grams of pecans come packed with 690 calories, along with antioxidants, and nutrients that are essential for maintaining good health. They Help With Cholesterol Another great reason to include pecans in your diet is that they have the ability to decrease your overall cholesterol, with a focus on the “bad” types (the kinds that lead to blocked arteries and heart problems). Additionally, the monosaturated fatty acids like oleic acid that you find in pecans helps increase the “good” cholesterol that your body needs. That’s one reason why pecans, and similar nuts, are heavily represented in the Mediterranean diet, and other eating systems meant to help your health. Pecans Are Good For Your Bowels We don’t always think about what goes into our mouths, but when it hits our stomach we know when we’ve made a bad decision. Pecans, however, are a great decision if you’re looking to get more fiber in your diet, but you want to get it in a tasty, crunchy package. Pecans are help keep you regular, and they’ve good for your colon as well, which is an aspect of our health we rarely think about until it’s become a problem. They Promote Muscle Recuperation There is nothing worse than that burning soreness when you get done with a workout, at least as far as daily aches and pains go. The reason you feel sore is because you’ve torn tiny rents in your muscles, and your body has to fix them. If you do that often enough, then your muscles grow because of all the additional repairs that have been made. Pecans help promote faster recovery, because they’re good for both muscle and bone health, and they’re packed with the materials your body needs when it comes to upkeep and repairs. Anti-Inflammatory Properties Pecans are rich in magnesium, and studies have shown that an increased magnesium intake helps prevent inflammation throughout the body. That includes in the arterial walls, which is another benefit pecans offer for your cardiovascular health. Good for your heart, pecans can also help prevent arthritis, and other conditions that cause parts of your body to get irritated and swell. Pecans Can Help Prevent Cancer Many of the nutrients pecans are rich in, like vitamin E, folate, and phosphorous, can help protect your body against several causes of cancer. They help keep your body functioning smoothly as well, cleaning out wastes and making sure your engine is firing on all cylinders, as it were. These are just a handful of the health benefits adding pecans to your diet brings. If you’re looking for a safe, natural way to increase your health, and make sure you’re getting all the vitamins you need, make sure to keep a bag of pecans on hand. For more information on little ways you can increase your health, simply contact us today!