Concepts in Fitness: A tricky tree nut

Well, the holiday season is upon us and along with the turkey, the pricey pecan takes center stage at the dinner table. Native to North America from Mexico to Canada, the buttery and versatile pecan ranks number 5 in popular edible nuts and can live to be 150 years old!

Aside from the traditional pecan pie and other tasty confections; pecans can be used for candied pecan bourbon, in stuffing or stuffed in peppers with goat cheese, and can even be tossed in a salad for some crunch. And as it turns out, the fruit of the hickory tree is incredibly good for you!

Wait now, did you catch that? Not only are pecans tasty, it turns out they have amazing health benefits. Not technically part of the tree nut family, the pecan is a drupe, defined as a fruit with a single stone or pit surrounded by the husk

So now that we’ve classified this tricky tree nut, let’s get down to business and find out how this nut can help you stay healthy for a lifetime.

According to a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, pecans contain more anti-oxidants than any other tree nut. Ranked by the USDA as one of the top 15 foods with the highest levels of antioxidants; pecans help prevent oxidative stress between free radicals in the body and their harmful effects. Oxidative stress is a key factor in the development of certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.

Plus, pecans can also speed up your metabolism! Rich in fatty acids and healthy fats recent research indicates pecans provide your body with those oh so important B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and vitamin B-6 which together, help to increase your metabolism.

And it gets even better. Because pecans are rich in thiamine and copper; they are also good for your brain health. Thiamine and copper work together to stop free radical damage in the brain; decreasing your risk for developing neurological problems like Parkinson’s.

Adding pecans to your diet can also contribute to your glowing appearance. And who doesn’t want to glow? Not only do anti-oxidant rich age defying pecans work wonders for your complexion; they also provide L-arginine an amino acid that can encourage the growth of healthy hair. L-arginine also treats male pattern baldness by promoting blood flow to the head.

And that’s not all this homegrown delicacy can do. Pecans are super high in fiber and unsaturated fats, which lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. So how can you go wrong?

So why not give them a try? One ounce (a handful, not a can full) of pecans is only 200 calories making it a satisfying, healthy snack.

I guess there’s a reason they’re the state tree of Texas! Next week we’ll take a look at the NY State tree and its health benefits; the Sugar Maple.

Reach Mary Schoepe at fitnessconcepts001@yahoo.com.