Pecan Health Facts

How many calories and how much fat are in one cup of pecans?

Here's what one cup of pecans contains so take the numbers and cut in half, but don't look at just the calories and fat, it's what kind of calories and fat your getting so please read on after the bare facts. Total Carbohydrate 8.2 g Dietary Fiber 5.7 g Calories 411.1 Total Fat 42.8 g Saturated Fat 3.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat 12.9 g Monounsaturated Fat 24.3 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 0.0 mg Potassium 244.0 mg Total Carbohydrate 8.2 g Dietary Fiber 5.7 g Sugars 2.4 g Protein 5.5 g Over 90% of the fat in pecans is unsaturated, heart-healthy fat. Numerous studies suggest that nuts protect the heart from disease. One of the reasons nuts, including pecans, are getting notice is their excellent protein structure. They make ideal heart-healthy substitutes for high-fat meats. In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration released one of the first qualified health claims about nuts and heart disease; ?scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.? The key to better overall diet is calorie and portion control, according to the updated Guidelines. To manage weight and increase physical fitness, consumers can make the most of their calories by picking nutrient-dense foods. Although nuts are high in calories, they are also rich in vitamins and minerals packing a lot of nutrition into a relatively small bundle. Just a handful (or about 20 pecan halves) offers vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, fiber, and more antioxidants than any other nut. And because nuts are so rich in heart-healthy fat, it doesn?t take many to feel full. So the bottom line is that pecans are very good for you and they taste great plain or toasted.

Aren't pecans high in cholesterol?

Pecans contain no cholesterol and are a good source of protein, iron, calcium, manganese and zinc.

Sure pecans taste great but arn't they bad for your heart?

Until recently the conventional wisdom among health-conscious Americans was to avoid nuts because of their extremely high fat content. But within the past several years, nutritionists and health researchers have taken another look at nuts. The Harvard Heart Letter reported that much of the momentum for giving nuts a second chance comes from a long-term study of diet and heart disease in more than 26,000 Seventh Day Adventists in California that began in the mid 1970s. One of the results, reported in 1992, aroused the curiosity of health researchers — a strong association between higher nut consumption and a lower risk of heart disease. People who consumed tree nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc.) frequently (at least 5 times a week) had roughly half the risk of a heart attack or a coronary death as those who rarely ate them. People who ate a portion of nuts even once a week had about a 25% lower risk of heart disease than those who avoided nuts.”

Are pecans really a health food?

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed new health claims for pecans and other nuts particularly with respect to helping reduce the incidence of heart disease. That means a heart-healthy diet can and probably should, include good-tasting foods such as pecans. The FDA's decision allows this wording in promotional material for pecans and other nuts. "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." There have been numerous studies that have demonstrated that some nut varieties can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Included in these recent studies were several indicating that pecans in particular are very good at lowering cholesterol levels, especially LDL cholesterol, also known as the bad cholesterol. So what does this mean to the consumer? Well, it means that pecans are not only a great tasting addition to your diet; pecans are also a healthful addition too!

Can I eat pecans on a low-carb diet?

Pecans are a naturally low carbohydrate food that you can easily include in your low carbohydrate diet. Whether you eat a handful as a snack, or include pecans as a part of your meal, pecans will add flavor and zest to a low-carb diet. Pecans are naturally low in carbohydrates. About an ounce of pecans contains only 4 grams of carbohydrates. That means that nutrient-dense pecans can add flavor, nutrition and disease-fighting properties to any diet that limits carbohydrates.

Aren't pecans kind of "fatty"?

Pecans contain approximately 60 percent monounsaturated fat and 30 percent polyunsaturated fat. This means that almost 90 percent of the fats (oils) in pecans are heart-healthy! These good kind of fats are essential to good nutrition and they have the added benefit of helping to curb your appetite, and they can help protect your heart.

I heard that pecans can help some people with diabetes, is that true?

Pecans are not only high in unsaturated (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) fat, but also other nutrients that may improve glucose and insulin stability, according to a study conducted over a 16-year period. The study found that eating nuts might help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

Will pecans keep me looking younger?

Well we would all like to find the fountain of youth and if we could promise that, then there probably wouldn't be a pecan left on the planet. What we do know is that antioxidants do seem to help slow down the aging process in some people. Pecans contain both the alpha and gamma tocopherol forms of vitamin E, and vitamin E is the primary antioxidant we use. Antioxidants are important in slowing the process of cell stress, which can lead to cellular dysfunction. Much of this cellular dysfunction shows up in the aging process.

Can pecans really help lower my cholesterol levels?

Pecans contain an abundance of unsaturated fats, and studies have shown that pecans can help lower cholesterol levels. Pecans also contain plant components with antioxidant properties, which can slow the oxidation or "rusting" of LDL (bad) cholesterol. And, a recent study has confirmed that pecans also contain plant sterols, which have been in the news recently for their cholesterol-lowering ability.

Just what do pecans contain that is so good for me?

Pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals - including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. Just one ounce of pecans (a handful or about 20 halves) has more zinc than a 3.5-ounce piece of skinless chicken. Most good sources of zinc are foods of animal origin, but pecans offer an excellent plant-based source. Pecans provide a healthful source of needed protein, which is essential for proper body function.

Do pecans contain any amount of fiber?

Pecans are high in fiber. One ounce of pecans has about the same amount of fiber as a medium-sized apple, and provides 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for fiber. Fiber keeps you fuller longer and will keep your blood sugar on an even keel.

Are pecans good for my diet?

Yes! Pecans can help dieters and those looking to control their weight because the dieter will feel fuller for a longer period of time after eating pecans. Studies have also shown that consumers who eat nuts regularly are leaner than those who don't eat nuts regularly, and suggest that nuts may increase the rate at which the body burns calories.

General Pecan Information

How many pounds of pecans per year does Texas produce?

In most years, Texas is the second largest pecan-producing state. An average crop for Texas is about 60 million pounds.

How long can I keep pecans fresh?

Shelled or unshelled pecans will stay fresh in the freezer for two years.

Where do pecans grow?

Pecans are native to North America. Almost all of the world’s pecans are grown in North America, specifically the southern part of the United States. The pecan industry in Mexico is growing and that country now produces about one-fourth as many pecans as the United States. Much smaller amounts of pecans are grown in Australia, Israel, South Africa, Argentina and a few other places.

Where are most commercial pecan orchards located?

Pecans are grown commercially in every state on the southern border of the United States from California to Florida, in addition to others such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Georgia and the Carolinas.

How many different kinds of pecans are there?

There are over 1,000 improved varieties (sometimes called papershell pecans) of pecans, in addition to the native pecans which grow along almost every river in Texas.

How long has the commercial pecan industry existed?

Compared to other orchard crops such as almonds, figs, apples, oranges and walnuts which have been cultivated for thousands of years, the commercial pecan industry is relatively new, having been developed largely in the 20th century.

How much usable meat comes from in-shell pecans?

A pecan in the shell will yield between 40-60 percent nutmeat; i.e. the weight of a pecan is comprised roughly of half shell and half meat.

How long does it take a new tree to start producing pecans?

A pecan tree will begin producing a few pecans by the time it is 4 or 5 years old but it is usually 8-10 years old before a pecan tree produces enough pecans to pay for the cost of producing those nuts.

Just how important are pecans to Texas?

The pecan is our state tree! In 1906, shortly before he died, Gov. Hogg requested that a pecan tree be planted at his grave, and that the nuts from the tree be given out to the people of Texas to plant so that Texas could become a land of trees. In 1919 the state legislature voted to make the pecan the State Tree of Texas. It was only natural that they do so because native pecan trees grow along almost every river in Texas.

Pecan History

Where did pecans come from?

The pecan is native to North America. For thousands of years before the discovery of America, North American Indians were the only people who knew about pecans. No person from any other part of the world had ever seen this nut.

Who introduced pecans to the rest of the world?

Two Spanish explorers were the first to write about pecans in historical documents. In 1533, Lope de Oviedo wrote in his journal in about 1533 that “there were on the banks of this river many nuts, which the Indians ate.” Eight years later in 1541, Cabeza de Vaca, who had been taken prisoner by the Indians, wrote about these nuts. “It is the subsistence of the people (the Indians) for two months in the year without any other thing.” Both explorers observed the pecans along rivers in what is now Texas.

What did Native Americans use pecans for?

By the year 1762, North American Indians had carried pecans from their native habitat throughout the southern United States and the Atlantic Seaboard. In addition to eating the pecan nutmeats fresh from the trees, the Indians also took the pecan kernels, pounded them with stones and added them to boiling water to make seasoning for foods such as venison broth, hominy and corn cakes.

Have pecans been used in the space program?

Pecans were the first fresh food consumed on space flights by American astronauts. Apollo 13 (1970) and Apollo 14 (1971) crewmembers enjoyed fresh, raw pecan kernels from vacuum-packed plastic packages.