Natural Society March 11 2013
Known as one of the most popular tree nuts around, pecans come from a large deciduous tree native to North America and Mexico. The nut can be found in hundreds of different varieties, and can be enjoyed fresh, roasted, or added in various recipes . Best of all, the health benefits of pecans can be experienced all year round.
Nutritional Content of Pecans
Composed predominantly of fat – with a fat content of 70+ percent – pecans contain more fat than just about any other nut. But don’t let fat content fool you; these large, buttery flavored nuts are rich in numerous vitamins and minerals known for promoting various aspects of health. Below I have outlined some of the most prominent nutrients found in pecans. The figures are based on a 1 ounce serving (28 grams) of pecans.
- Fiber – 2.7 grams. 11% RDA.
- Manganese – 1.3 milligrams. 64% RDA.
- Copper – 0.3 milligrams. 17% RDA.
- Thiamin – 0.2 milligrams. 12% RDA.
- Magnesium – 34.2 milligrams. 9% RDA.
- Phosphorus – 78.2 milligrams. 8% RDA.
- Iron – 0.7 milligrams. 4% RDA.
- Protein – 2.6 grams. 5% RDA.
- Fatty Acids, Total Polyunsaturated – 6.128 grams.
- Carotene-ß – 29 µg.
- Crypto-xanthin-ß – 9 µg.
- Lutein-zeaxanthin – 17 µg.