Gone are the days when Russians knew only walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts. Moreover, the latter generally belongs to the legume family. In the last decade, the market has been flooded with such a variety of nuts that it has become difficult for the average consumer to understand them. One of the novelties of today is pecan, which arrived from distant America.
Pecan is the closest relative of the walnut, so there is nothing surprising in their external similarity. The tree on which it grows reaches a height of 25-30 meters. During ripening, its fruits are surrounded by a fleshy inedible rind. Ripe walnut has an oblong ovoid shape, is enclosed in an easily removable hard shell of a dark brown color, and its core looks very similar to the inner content of a walnut.
The pecan tree is the official state symbol of the American state of Texas.
The warm states of the United States such as Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana and Texas are considered the homeland of pecans. The USA is the largest exporter of these nuts worldwide. Some of them are also produced in Australia. The location of the plantations on both sides of the equator has led to the fact that pecans are no longer a seasonal product and can be bought at any time of the year. From May to August, Australian nuts are usually supplied to the market, American nuts the rest of the time.
Australian pecans are in high demand in the market. Perhaps this is due to their more attractive appearance.
Pecans are second only to almonds in fat content among nuts. The content of fatty acids in it reaches 70%, and almost all of them belong to the class of unsaturated, which indicates the undoubted usefulness of this product. Pecan can be called a real storehouse of trace elements, it contains high concentrations of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron. But there is almost no sodium in it, but provitamin A and vitamins of group B are present in large quantities. The beneficial properties of pecan have long been known to physicians, therefore, nut oil is successfully used to treat cardiovascular diseases.
Due to its unique composition, pecan is included in the menu of American astronauts who spend a long time in orbit.
Pecan has a typical nutty, slightly sweet taste. Therefore, it is used with great success in the confectionery industry for the production of sweets and baked goods. However, do not get too carried away with eating pecans. Like all nuts, it is very high in calories. 100 grams of the product contains more than 700 kcal, this is worth remembering for people watching their weight. But you shouldn’t give up pecans altogether. 50 grams of nuts per day will not harm the figure, but they will supply the body with all the necessary substances – vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and trace elements.