Health Benefits of Eating Pecans

2011: Pecans are Healthy Makes Headlines Again

A new study on Pecans published in the January 2011 Journal of Nutrition shows again that Pecans are a healthy food and help prevent heart disease. Pecans contain antioxidant factors that are absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against disease.

 

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Heart Healthy Handful

60% of fats in pecans are monounsaturated and another 30% are polyunsaturated, leaving very little saturated fat in pecans. In addition pecans contain no trans fat.
 

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Nutrient Filled Nut

Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals. They include Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Several B Vitamins, and Zinc. One ounce of pecans contains 10% of the recommended Daily value for Fiber. Pecans are a natural, high quality source of protein that cotain very few carbohydrates and no cholesterol. Naturally pecans are sodium free.

Pecans are the Cream of the Crop among all nuts. Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category of foods to contain the highest antioxidant capacity, meaning pecans may decrease the risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, and neurological disease, such as, Alzheimer's.

A Pecan Enriched Diet plays a role in lowering cholesterol. Clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition compared a 28% fat diet, recommended by the American Heart Association for individuals with the high cholesterol levels, to the pecan-enriched, 40% fat diet The results showed the pecan enriched diet lowered total cholesterol by 11.5% and the 28% fat diet lowered total cholesterol by 5.2%.
 

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FDA Acknowledged Nut

The FDA approved the following health claim "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."
 

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Fistful of Pecans

A Fistful of pecans a day may help to protect the nervous system, according to a new animal study published by Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. The research suggests that adding pecans to your diet may delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration. Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant found in pecans, may provide a key element Antioxidants are nutrients found in foods that help protect against cell damage, and studies have shown, can help fight disease like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, and heart disease. The study was conducted at the Center of Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

A Fistful of pecans a day may help inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping prevent coronary heart disease, according to research published in Nutrition Research. The research suggest that this positive effect was in part due to the pecans' significant content of Vitamin E. Pecans contain different forms of vitamin E, which protect blood lipids from oxidation. Oxidation of lipids is detrimental to health. Bad Cholesterol can result in build up and clogged arteries when it becomes oxidized.
 

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Noble Foundation Report - Health Benefits of Pecans

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Health Studies

These three heatlh studies were completed with Texas Pecan Board Contributions.