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The American Pecan
Pecans are America’s only native tree nut!
In acknowledgement of it’s origin, many varieties are named after Native Americans. We grow Choctaw, Lakota, Pawnee and Kanza varieties on our land in addition to harvesting the native trees. Most retailers don’t label the variety. They can be used interchangably but check out a few distinctions when selecting which pecan you may like to purchase!
Choctaw: strong flavor, crunchy and slightly sweet
Pawnee: rich buttery flavor, ideal for baking
Lakota: creamy, golden, and versatile
Kanza: small, sweet, known to store well in freezer
DELICIOUS KERNELS OF GOODNESS
Pecans are a complex whole food packed with multiple health-promoting nutrients and bioactive compounds.
You Think Of Them For Pie.
You Adore Them In Pralines.
But Did You Know Pecans Are Actually Extremely Nutrient Dense?
Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.*
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
*One serving of pecans (28g) contains 18g of unsaturated fat and only 2g of saturated fat.
So Don’t Be Fooled By Their Rich, Buttery Texture and Naturally Sweet Taste.
Pecans contain the same beneficial unsaturated fats that are found in other nuts, and nearly two decades of research suggests that nuts, including pecans, may help promote heart health.
In each 1-ounce serving of raw pecans you’ll get 12 grams of “good” monounsaturated fat, with zero cholesterol or sodium.1 Compared to other nuts, pecans are among the lowest in carbs and highest in fiber.
The macronutrient profile of pecans is appealing to many people:
Protein (3 grams), carbohydrate (4 grams) and fat (20 grams).
A handful of pecans – about 19 halves – is a good source of fiber, thiamin and zinc, and an excellent source of copper
and manganese.
To top it off, pecans contain polyphenols, specifically flavonoids – which are the types of bioactive compounds found
in brightly colored produce.
Cardiometabolic Health
The most recent study on pecans found that a handful of pecans each day (about 1.5 ounces) helped improve certain markers of cardiometabolic disease, which includes cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.14 The 2018 randomized, placebo-controlled feeding trial conducted by researchers at Tufts University studied the impact of a pecan-rich diet among 25 overweight and obese adults (ages 45 and older, 21 men and five women).
After four weeks on the pecan-rich diet, participants experienced statistically significant changes in serum insulin, insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell function compared to the control diet. When using a composite score of five clinically relevant markers of cardiometabolic risk (such as blood lipids, glucoregulation and insulin), the researchers found that the pecan diet had a concurrent and statistically significant effect on insulin-related markers associated with cardiometabolic risk. Additionally, there were subgroup differences noted by gender and glucose levels that modified the effects of the pecan diet.
A Closer Look At Vitamin E
Compared to other nuts, pecans have the highest levels of a form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherols. Ella Haddad and colleagues at Loma Linda University conducted two studies to explore the potential benefits of the gamma-tocopherols in pecans, specifically the role on oxidative stress, which is implicated in cardiovascular disease.
A 2006 randomized, controlled crossover feeding study of 24 participants published in Nutrition Research9 found that a pecan-enriched diet (equivalent to 20% of calories) helped participants increase blood levelsof gamma-tocopherols and reduced markers of lipid oxidation after eight weeks. The men and women in the study (ages 25-55) were in good health with no history of heart disease. The Loma Linda University researchers concluded that pecans can serve as a valuable source of gamma-tocopherols in the diet, along with flavonoids(particularly proanthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols), which may have positive effects on heart health; however, additional research is needed to determine the significance of this effect.
Polyphenols In Pecans
Pecans contain a mix of polyphenols, specifically flavonoids. 2 These bioactive compounds, particularly proanthocyanidins, anthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols, have been the focus of emerging research on cardiovascular health.11-13
While these studies examined total flavonoid consumption, and not pecans specifically, pecans do help contribute to America’s flavonoid intake. Pecans contain 898 mg proanthocyanidins, 18mg of anthocyanidins and 16 mg of flavan-3-ols per 100 g, including epicatechin and catechin.2
IT’S TIME TO PICK PECANS
When it comes to America’s native nut, great taste is just the beginning. Pecans should no longer be overlooked in health conversations. This nutrient-dense nut is deserving of attention – and not just during the holidays. Whether tossed in salads and grain bowls, blended in a smoothie, transformed into pecan butter, added to vegetables and main dishes or eaten whole as a snack – American Pecans™ are a wholesome and homegrown nut that’s ideal any time of the year. To learn more about American Pecans, including recipes, health research and how the country’s native nut is grown and harvested, visit AmericanPecan.com.
