Eating pecan nuts can lower the risk of developing heart disease or cancer, say researchers.
A study showed their naturally occurring antioxidants help reduce inflammation in the arteries.
The nuts are particularly rich in one form of the antioxidant vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol, and the study showed that its levels in the body doubled eight hours after eating pecans.
The researchers analysed 16 men and women who ate a sequence of three diets, one of whole pecans, one of pecans blended with water, and a neutral ‘control’ meal.
Even after three hours, unhealthy oxidation of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood – which can cause heart problems – fell by up to a third.
Pecan nuts
‘Previous research has shown that pecans contain antioxidant factors. Our study shows these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against diseases,’ said Ella Haddad, of California’s Loma Linda University, whose findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition.
‘This protective effect is important in helping to prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease.’
It is only the latest evidence that nuts can boost health. Walnuts help lower cholesterol, while almonds are a great source of bone-building calcium and Brazil nuts are high in the antioxidant selenium, linked to preventing some cancers.
‘Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy antioxidants in the body,’ said LLU researcher Ella Haddad, associate professor in the School of Public Health department of nutrition. ‘This protective effect is important in helping to prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease.’
Dr Habbad added: ‘This study is another piece of evidence that pecans are a healthy food,” says Dr. Haddad. ‘Previous research has shown that pecans contain antioxidant factors. Our study shows these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against diseases.’
Research from Loma Linda University published earlier in the Journal of Nutrition showed that a pecan-enriched diet lowered levels of LDL cholesterol by 16.5 percent – more than twice the American Heart Association’s Step I diet, which was used as the control diet in that study. Similarly, the pecan-enriched diet lowered total cholesterol levels by 11.3 percent.
- Similar posts
- Nuts can lower cholesterol (56%)
- Walnuts, the healthiest nut (22.4%)
- Good healthy food (18.3%)
- Nuts raise good cholesterol (15.9%)
- Fortified tomatoes go on sale (11.4%)
The new health dietary guidelines say that you should take at least 4 – 5 servings of nuts, seeds or legumes daily. Pecan nuts are taken as a delicacy but mostly for its nutritional value. It is said that if you add a handful to your daily diet, it will subdue the blood lipids to get oxidezed unnecessarily and so prevents coronary heart diseases. Pecan nuts contain Vitamin E which protects blood lipids from oxidizing.
About the Nutritional benefits of Pecan nuts
Pecan nuts have more anti oxidants than any other nut, according to the recent report. Anti oxidants are the substances found in the foods which protect us against cell damage. Pecan nuts are supposed to help fight diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart diseases and Cancer.
Just a handful of pecan nuts consists of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber, as well as antioxidants and they are so rich in heart healthy unsaturated fats. If you take in a few you will feel full and the studies have shown that the habit of eating nuts will have a beneficial effect on your waist line. Pecan nuts are a rich source of Proteins and contains less carbohydrates and no cholesterol. These are best for the sodium restricted diet for heart patients as well as those with high blood pressure as they are sodium free nuts.
Blood Pressure: while eating nuts cannot cure blood pressure or hypertension, they can be an important part of the diet to lower the blood pressure while supercharging your diet with much needed nutrients. you can take up to a handful of pecan nuts ( 7-8 nuts ) a week.
Breast Cancer : Pecan nuts have a rich source of Oleic acid just like Olive oil. Oleic acid has the property to suppress the activity of the gene cells that trigger Breast cancer. The researchers say that if you can improve your eating more foods rich in Oleic acid can lessen the chances of Breast cancer. A one ounce serving of pecan nuts provides you 25% more oleic acid than a tablespoonful olive oil. An ounce of pecan nuts is about 7-8 whole nuts or 15 pecan halves
The researchers have confirmed that when pecans are added as a part of the diet you can improve your heart health, prostrate health and also control your weight. Pecan nuts are the most elegant, versatile and a delicious tasting nuts you can add on to your plate and you can be sure of the health benefits it will bring in. nuts contain more healthful types of fats than meat does and they are cholesterol-free, so they make excellent choices over fatty meats like steak or even chicken.
In short, the Health benefits of the Pecan nuts
Pecans are one of the very few sodium-free and fiber-rich nuts in the world.
Pecans are a rich source of gamma tocopherol which is a chemical compound derived from vitamin E. It supports heart health, prevents heart diseases, promotes respiratory health, helps in blood circulation and is very good for your brain.
Pecans also contain some of the phytochemicals.
90% of the fat content in pecans contain unsaturated fats.
Calorie count of the various types of Pecan nuts
Quantity Calories Fat Carbohydrates Proteins
1 oz (20 halves) 28.3 g 196 20.4 g 3.9 g 2.6 g
1 cup halves (108.0 g) 746 77.7 g 15.0 g 9.9 g
1 cup chopped (119.0 g) 822 85.6 g 16.5 g 10.9 g
Candied pecans are the best examples of how a low-calorie treat can be irresistibly delicious too, at the same time! these candied pecans are nutty delights which we could hog on all day but be careful for the calorie count. A serving of an ounce of candied pecans have 190 calorie , 17 grams of fat which have 10 monunsaturated fats and 4 grams are poly unsaturated fats. These candied pecans are cholesterol free and have about 3% sodium content and a 30% of the carbohydrate needs of a person.