Want A Healthy Snack, Try Some Pecans

Are you looking for a healthy snack. Something to take the edge off. One that may help prevent heart disease, help lower cholesterol and aid in weight loss. How about improving your overall health. Sound good? Look no further than the pecan. Pecans are loaded with vitamins and minerals, contain key antioxidants and are a great source of protein.

I eat several snacks between meals throughout the day. I try to mix it up with fruits, veggies, yogurt and nuts. Pecans are among my favorites. A delicious little snack!

Pecan Memories

I look forward to this time of year. The cool weather, the hint of the holidays and the baskets of nuts displayed in the super markets. Many people associate pecans with the holidays. I know I do! One of my favorite memories from childhood is being at my grandparents home during the holidays. My grandmother always had bowls of nuts complete with nut crackers. We would sit around the dining room table, absorbed in conversation, cracking walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts and of course, pecans. But, you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy some pecans. They are available year around. I buy shelled pecans from Trader Joes. They have a great selection of reasonably priced nuts.

Pecans have been enjoyed for centuries. The first known trees planted for cultivation were harvested in Mexico in the late 1600’s. In 1772, the first pecan trees were planted here in the US, in Long Island, NY. By the 1800’s, pecan production had grown into a huge industry.

Want A Healthy Snack, Try Some Pecans

Pecans are a very healthy snack choice. They contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals – including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 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 diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

Here Are Some Interesting Pecan Facts

• contain heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats
• 90% of the fat found in pecans is unsaturated
• pecans contain no trans fat
• they are cholesterol-free
• they contain very few carbohydrates
• provides 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for fiber
• contain key antioxidants
• significant content of vitamin E
• a good source of fiber
• a good source of protein
• are sodium-free
• can actually lower bad cholesterol

Albany, Georgia is the pecan capital of the world producing 90 million pounds annually. That’s a lot of nuts!

Pecans are a delicious, healthy snack that can be enjoyed [in moderation] anytime. What do you think? Do you love pecans as much as me? Well, what are you waiting for? Go get some pecans! If not, what is your favorite nut? If you’re not a huge nut fan, what do you snack on?

Tagged as: antioxidants • healthy snack • pecans