Contents
In the article below you will find out, among others:
- Where do pecans come from?
- What do pecans look like?
- How calories do pecans have?
- Are pecans healthy?
- How To Store Pecans?
- What Are Pecan Recipes?
Where do pecans come from?
He was well known to the indigenous peoples of North and Central America. Brought to Europe in the XNUMXth century. In Poland, peanut trees can be found very rarely because they are not very resistant to low temperatures. It belongs to the nut family.
What do pecans look like?
Pecan is a long-lived tree. It reaches a height of up to 50 m. The fruit has various shapes, from round to highly elongated ellipses. When the shell is removed, the walnut looks similar to a walnut – split and wavy.
How calories do pecans have?
Nuts are rich in nutrients. So their success is not surprising. Indians have already met there, in whose diets were an important ingredient. They were an exchangeable commodity for them. They are a rich source of manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc, B vitamins.
100 g of pecans provide:
— 691 kcal
– 72 g of fat, including:
– 6 g of saturated fat.
– 41 g of monounsaturated fat
– 21,5 g of polyunsaturated fat (mainly omega-6)
– 14 g of carbohydrates
– 10 g of dietary fiber
– 0,7 mg of vitamin B1
– 0,9 mg of vitamin B5
– 0,2 mg of vitamin B6
– 1,4 mg of vitamin E (mainly gamma-tocopherol)
— 4,5 mg manganese
– 1,2 mg of copper
– 4,5 mg of zinc
– 121 mg of magnesium
– 277 mg phosphorus
— 4 μg of selenium
— 0 mg sodium
– 102 mg phytosterols
They are also the source of a number of phytochemicals that have a beneficial effect on the body. They have a high antioxidant power and therefore protect the heart, but can also prevent the development of cancer.
Are pecans healthy?
Thanks to the presence of antioxidant substances such as vitamin E, selenium, manganese and zinc, they have a beneficial effect on both circulatory system me too nervous. Research shows that a handful of pecans a day have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and may delay the degeneration of neurons associated with aging. Reaching for them may also bring benefits in other neurological diseases. Most likely, this is due to the protective antioxidant effect of vitamin E on the nervous system.
Other reports indicate a beneficial effect of enriching the diet with pecans on lowering the level LDL cholesterol. It is called “bad cholesterol” because it promotes the onset of atherosclerosis. And pecans, most likely due to the presence of phytosterols, allow lower its blood levels. The presence of antioxidants in nuts is also important in this matter. One study found that 8 hours after consuming about 85 g of pecans, the blood gamma-tocopherol content doubled and the antioxidant capacity (ORAC) increased tenfold at 2 hours after a meal. A big advantage of pecans is also the lack of sodium, which is especially important for people suffering from heart failure.
How To Store Pecans?
Pecans can be stored at room temperature, but they will remain usable for longer, they can be placed in the refrigerator or even frozen.
Recipes with pecans
They are perfect as a snack between main meals, as an addition to salads, yoghurt or cereals. They can also be used to make a coating for meat or fish. Below are a few suggestions for serving.
Pecans in honey
– a glass of raw nuts
– 1 tablespoon of honey
– pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius. Put in the nuts for 5 minutes spread on parchment. Mix warm nuts with honey and a pinch of salt and put back into the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Salad with nuts
– 50 g of crab sticks
– a bunch of cherry tomatoes (about 10)
– a cup of canned corn
– ½ red onion
– 1 large cucumber
– a bit of chopped jalapeno
– a tablespoon of chopped cilantro
– 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans
– lime juice
– salt pepper
Chop sticks, cucumber, tomato, onion and mix. Add the coriander and corn. Mix the lime juice with the paprika, salt and pepper. Top the salad with the resulting sauce. Serve sprinkled with crushed nuts.
Pecan Butter
– 120 g of pecans
– 100 g of butter
– 2 tablespoons of sugar or honey
Blend the ingredients together. Store in a refrigerator.
What are your favorite nuts? Do you like pecans? Be sure to let me know in the comments!