Pecans are from a Native American tree that is part of the hickory family. They were an important diet to the Native Americans of the central and southern regions of North America. And pecans are a good source of oleic acid, vitamin B1, E, and A, thiamin, magnesium, ellagic acid, protein, phosphorus, zinc and folic acid. So, not only do pecans taste great, but they are a good for you! Here are the most important health benefits of pecans.
The Amazing Health Benefits of Pecans
The Health Benefits of Pecans to Your Nervous System
Pecans have been found to help the nervous system by delaying the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration, and they contain the antioxidant Vitamin E and other phenolic substances, which helps in conjunction with the nervous system to fight disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Antioxidants are important to help protect against cell damage.
There are different types of antioxidants in vitamin E called tocopherols. Gamma tocopherols are significantly prevalent in pecans, and people who consume pecans show to have doubled amounts of gamma tocopherols.
Nuts Such as Pecans Help Lower Cholesterol and Control Weight
Statistics have shown that the consumption of pecans lowers LDL by 16.5 percent and total cholesterol by 11.3 percent. With the increase of gamma tocopherols from the consumption of pecans and other nuts, there is a lower oxidation of LDL cholesterols because pecans remove oxygen free radicals, which helps to prevent coronary heart disease. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol inflames the arteries leading to cardiovascular disease.
Not only have pecans helped fight against cholesterol and heart disease, but eating pecans and other nuts help to increase metabolism. They are a great source of energy, and the fats in pecans are 60 percent monounsaturated, 30 percent polyunsaturated and these unsaturated fats are found to be heart healthy. Also, pecans are sodium free, which makes them a good diet for those who need to consume a low sodium diet. Nut eaters have a lower BMI because they contain healthy fat and they stay full longer because of the protein.
Additional Facts and Health Benefits of Pecans
- Contrary to common belief children are less likely to have allergies if their mother eats nuts once a week during pregnancy.
- The ellagic acid keeps carcinogens, like nitrosamines and hydrocarbons, from attaching to DNA helping to prevent certain cancers in the body.
- 3 ½ ounces of pecans contains 9 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber
- Pecans are in the top 15 foods with the highest number of antioxidants.
Those were just the most important health benefits of pecans. If you want to know more about pecans, visit this site.
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Author V.K. enjoys writing about pecans and companies like http://www.leonardfarmspecanstore.com/ that sell them.
Photo: The Handmade Kitchen
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