P
ecans are so rich they are like a pastry. Full of fat and sweetness. As you can see the nutritional facts are:
(for) About a ¼ cup
200 Calories
20 g of saturated fat
0 g cholesterol
0 mg sodium
4 g carbs
2 g dietary fiber
3 g protein
So as a dessert they are great, with 0 cholesterol, 2 g of saturated fat, and 0 sodium. One fourth cup makes a great treat. They have a natural sweetness that could assist in curbing the desire for sugar.
According to Power Your Diet, pecans contain monounsaturated fatty acids (which are said to assist in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol). They are a source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to help in the fight against certain diseases. Studies have shown that antioxidants help protect against cell damage. Cell damage is thought to be the cause of diseases such as some cancers, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and Parkinson’s.
Pecans have many phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are presently believed to help reduce the risk of cancer. As with many foods it has to do with fiber and their anti-inflammatory properties. Medical research is proving that chronic inflammation is associated with many diseases. It is not good for the body to remain in a state of chronic inflammation. Foods that have anti-inflammatory properties can serve as a great addition to many diets.
Pecans have a large group of the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, Folate, and pantothenic acid) and also contain minerals such as iron, calcium, iron manganese (which is different from magnesium), magnesium, zinc, potassium, and selenium.
Also, pecans have proved in studies to help lower total cholesterol by over 10%, and the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) by OVER 15%.
And I don’t know about you, but I love pecans. I can eat them plain, just a handful all by themselves. Or they make a great addition to a salad. The salad can be a combination of sweet and savory or just full of veggies. They also make a great addition to cookies. Lately – since I have a huge bag of them (I bought a wholesale bag . . . two pounds) I add them to cookie recipes that call for walnuts. I actually think of them as interchangeable and use them in place of walnuts when I have a bag of pecans and not walnuts.
Pecans with a salty soft cheese makes a great appetizer. The mixture can be spread on crackers, bread, or can be used to fill celery. If you mix some chopped nuts with a crumbled cheese you can put it in lettuce boats.
They can add their buttery goodness to any recipe. Because they add a flavor of buttery richness it is possible to cut down on the butter or added fat when you add them to a recipe where butter is just used as flavor. They can be chopped and used as breading for chicken or pork I like to use a mixture of shredded parmesan cheese and pecans to bread pork. It can be cooked in the oven or cooked in a pan. Either way, the butter taste from the pecans adds a decadent richness.
In their chopped form they can also be added to a chicken salad. Than can be added to your regular chicken salad recipe or substitute, pecans and apple for the celery and onions. Sometimes I crush some to coat the outside of the sandwich when I am making chicken/pecan sandwiches for a tea.
Nuts contain a high amount of fat but all of the additional health benefits they supply make them the perfect desert. A little cheese and honey or jam — ahhh. So much more satisfying than a package dessert full of chemicals.
Do you like pecans? What do you do with them?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 