Eating pecans is such an easy way to put nutrients in your diet. You can put them in your morning oatmeal, over yogurt or in homemade granola. Another way to eat them is to simply grab some and crack them yourself and eat them. With pecan season underway you will be able to get all the fresh pecans you want.
The Heart-Healthy Pecan
by Stacey Moore
Pecans, loved for their sweet crunch and undeniable flavor, are coming out of their shells and gaining recognition as a healthy addition to a well-balanced diet. Once thought of as an indulgence, clinical research findings show that pecans can be enjoyed as a healthy snack year-round.
The medical journal Nutrition Research reports that eating about a handful of pecans each day, about 15 halves, may help prevent heart disease by inhibiting unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, which helps prevent hardening of the arteries. Other studies have shown pecans may help reduce cholesterol levels, prevent gallstones and help with weight control.
In addition to these positive health benefits, pecans are also packed with antioxidants and 19 vitamins and minerals. Plus, pecans are a natural, high-quality source of protein, with very few carbohydrates and no cholesterol. And while pecans do contain fat, it’s unsaturated-or the “good fat”-which helps lower levels of cholesterol in the blood when substituted for saturated fats. In addition, pecans contain no trans fat.
For more information on the health benefits of pecans, recipes or where to find pecans, visit www.ilovepecans.org.
Study: Eating pecans may help prevent heart disease.
Article Directory: Article Dashboard