Nut inside like walnut. Pecan nut - useful properties and contraindications

They are similar in taste, but the pecan kernels are a little softer and more tender. Pecan is a deciduous tree belonging to the walnut family, reaching a height of 25 - 40 m.

A prerequisite for the ripening of this type of nuts is the presence of hot and humid air in summer, brought from the Gulf of Mexico. The tree can bear fruit for 300 years.

The homeland of the pecan is North America, where it was especially revered by Indian tribes. In the United States, pecans are still one of the favorite nuts, they bake pies, breads, cookies with it, they also add it to salads and hot dishes.

Pecans are best eaten immediately after being shelled (they spoil quickly without the shell).

Useful properties of pecan

Pecans are very high in calories. Only 200 g of the edible part of the fruit provides about 1700 calories, which is more than half the daily human need for them.

Pecans are 70% fat, 11% protein, 14% sugar, making pecan recommended for fatigue and lack of appetite. An edible pecan oil that tastes and smells like olive oil.

One of the varieties of vitamin E, which contains a pecan, can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This conclusion was made by researchers from Purdue University in Indiana. It has been proven that the drug gamma-tocopherol, made in the laboratory and containing the mentioned variety of vitamin E, kills diseased cells, leaving only healthy ones. Scientists intend to use this discovery to treat lung and prostate cancer.

Pecans are a rich source of tannic acid, vitamin E; Pecans also have anti-cancer properties. If eaten in small amounts, they can lower cholesterol levels. Pecans have more calories and polyunsaturated fats than other nuts (70%), so they should be consumed in moderation (a spoonful five times a day) instead of fatty foods, not in addition to them.

Dangerous properties of pecan

Shelled pecans cannot be stored for a long time, as they quickly deteriorate - bitterness appears in the taste of such nuts.

When using pecans, it is worth remembering the measure. The body can absorb no more than 100 grams of nuts per meal. If you eat more of it, you may experience problems with digestion. With allergies and fatty liver, as well as with a tendency to obesity, it is worth limiting the use of nuts altogether.

It is necessary to significantly limit the amount of pecans in the diet for skin diseases and a tendency to constipation.

Pregnant women should use pecans with caution. A significant amount of protein in its composition can cause an allergy in a woman and provoke intolerance to this product in a baby. The safe rate of pecans for expectant mothers is 2 kernels three times a week.

Pecan fruits are a heavy product for children's digestion. Pediatricians do not advise feeding them to children under 3 years old. When offering nuts to a child, it is worth paying attention to how his body will react. In some babies, these fruits cause severe allergies, including suffocation.

Any type of nut has a distinctive taste and many nutritional components. Nuts are considered a very good source of fatty acids, support brain function and counteract the aging process. Pecan nut is known for its medicinal properties: it is able to improve the functioning of almost all organs and systems, and its oil can prolong youth and beauty.

Description and origin

Pecan is the fruit of a tree belonging to the nut family. Nuts are usually 2-6 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide. The Beijing nut is a favorite among food products in terms of energy value, 100 grams of the fruit contains up to 690 calories.

Most people confuse pecans with walnuts. Their difference is that the pecan has an elongated oval shape and a smooth shell. The taste of the fruit is very similar, almost identical, only the Peking nut has a spicier aftertaste and more health values.

Pecans are an excellent substitute for animal protein and contain a huge amount of antioxidants.

North America is the birthplace of the pecan. The best pecans come from Texas, and more specifically, San Saba County, which has earned a reputation as the "pecan capital of the world."

Peking nuts were an important part of the Native American diet. The name pecan comes from an English word derived from the language of the Indians, which means "a nut is too heavy to crush with your hand." The Indians immediately appreciated the nut, because even a small amount of the product could effectively satisfy hunger.

Besides, nuts are delicious- have a delicate, slightly sweet aroma and buttery taste.

Currently, pecans are the number one nut grown in America and are a constant addition to desserts, chocolates, cakes, pralines and brownies in this country. The peeled kernels are sold fried, salted, sweet, with the addition of red cayenne pepper and spices. More and more Americans are choosing to plant a walnut in their garden.

Of course, the US is not the only country that grows the pecan tree. A suitable climate for growing the fruit is also in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Peru and South Africa.

Useful properties and benefits

Pecan - a nut, the benefits and harms of which are already known on many continents and in most countries, is slowly gaining popularity with us. And not just like that, because a Peking nut or ordinary pecan is a storehouse of vitamins, micro and macro elements.

These useful ingredients include:

Having a lot of useful nutrients for the body, pecan has a number of advantages such as:

Has a pecan beneficial properties for women directly, as an assistant in body care. The oil of the fruit is widely used in cosmetology for various irritations, peeling on the skin, it copes well with unwanted rashes (pimples, blackheads).

For the beautiful half, who is unhappy with their weight, oil will become an indispensable tool to help say goodbye to extra pounds. It is enough to use it as a dressing for vegetable salad.

Walnut oil will improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, will remove excess water, toxins and toxins from the body, and already in the first month of use, a woman will feel positive changes and a decrease in the number on the scales.

Possible harm and contraindications

No matter how wonderful pecan is, like every plant, it has contraindications for use. Eating the fruit in unlimited quantities can cause an allergic reaction to one of the constituent components of the nut due to its excess in the body or personal intolerance.

The increased calorie content of the Beijing nut has a bad effect on the figure, especially people with a predisposition to overweight and obesity are rapidly gaining weight.

For proper assimilation of the fetus by the body, the load on the digestive tract increases, so people suffering from diseases of the pancreas or gallbladder should not consume more than 50-70 grams of the product per day.

Not many food products can boast such an amount of vitamins and beneficial components that are found in pecans. Nut is widely used in cosmetology and helps prevent a number of diseases, including cancer. But do not forget that everything is good in moderation, and do not abuse this fruit in order to avoid the development of unwanted diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism.

The pecan has a vanilla flavor and a chocolate flavor. Its merits were first appreciated by the Indian tribes of the American prairies. About 200 years ago, the plant came to Europe, and now it is grown in Russia.

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Botanical description

The biological name of the plant is Caria Illinois. A more familiar name is the common pecan. Belongs to the Nut family, genus Hickory. These deciduous trees in their homeland can grow as tall as a twelve-story building. Kariya of old age reach 2 meters in girth.

Up to 15 kg of nuts can be harvested from one adult pecan tree, and 200 from an old one.

Appearance description:

• thick trunk with brown wrinkled bark;
• lush spreading crown;
• large, smooth, narrow leaves;
• long, fluffy catkins at the ends of young shoots during flowering.

Photo of a pecan

Blooms in May - June. In our conditions, this protects the flower stalks from spring frosts. Trees are pollinated by the wind.

How does a pecan grow?

The first 4-5 years, the seedling grows extremely slowly, adding no more than 30 cm in height. It is believed that at this time the root system of the future tree is formed.

Where does it grow?

Walnut grows on fertile, as well as loose and well-moistened soils. It is found in the United States (where walnut cultivation is practiced for commercial purposes) in the states of Iowa and Indiana, in the Mississippi valleys and the prairies of Texas.

European subspecies are common:

• in Crimea;
• in the Caucasus;
• in Central Asia.

Some varieties of Caria Illinois are frost tolerant. Young trees can withstand -30. Therefore, the variety may spread to the northern regions.

Varieties and varieties

To date, about 150 varieties of pecans are known.

In Europe, the following varieties are most popular:

• Success;
• Textan;
• Indiana;
• Major;
• Stuart;
• Greenriver.

All these species are characterized by unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil, resistance to drought and stable fruiting. They grow poorly only on swampy and acidic soils. Variety Mayor is considered one of the most cold-resistant. But for growing nuts in our climate, the endurance of the shoots is not enough. Since the fruits appear relatively late - at the end of October, most of them simply do not have time to ripen.

In addition, the following super-northern varieties are now popular:

• Snaps;
• Dearstand;
• Carlson-3;
• Campbell NS-4;
• Lucas.

The super-northern pecan varieties are not intended for commercial cultivation, as their fruits are the smallest of all - no more than 2.5 cm.

Description and properties of fruits

Fruits in the scientific world are called drupes. They are collected on a tree in bundles (5-10 pieces each), the length of each nut is about 4 cm. The shell is smooth, dense. When ripe, it turns brown, dries and cracks, exposing a walnut-like kernel. But pecans are sweeter and do not contain partitions inside.

You can learn about the beneficial properties of pecans in the video from the JitZdorovo channel.

nutritional value

Most of these oils are composed of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. A tenth of a kilogram of this product contains 9 g of protein, 14 g of carbohydrates, including dietary fiber.

In a large chicken egg, considered a source of protein, the latter is even less than in 100 g of pecans.

Comparative table of mineral and vitamin composition of nuts (per 100g of product):

Exotic pecan - contains a high amount of valuable fat-soluble vitamins A and E.

Benefit

Caria Illinois nuts are widely used in cooking. Pecan nuts have long been used as food by Indian tribes. The fruits were harvested for the future, they were eaten in case of an unsuccessful hunt. Priests and healers, rubbing nuts, received "milk", which was given to wounded soldiers, treated the weakened and strengthened the health of children.

But the main thing in pecans is a beneficial effect on the body, which is why they are recommended to be added to food for patients with diseases of the heart, eyes, and all the elderly.

Vitamin A (retinol) - ensures the functioning of the retina, maintains visual acuity and the health of our eyes. In addition, retinol is involved in the development of all systems of the child's body.

Vitamin E (tocopherol) is a natural antioxidant:

• stabilizes membranes, protects them from oxidation;
• maintains health at the cellular level.

Deficiency of this vitamin causes aging and deterioration of the body. Tocopherol, together with unsaturated fatty acids, protects the walls of arteries from damage and inflammation, slows down the growth of cholesterol plaques, saving from heart attacks and strokes. Moreover, pecan vegetable oils literally remove “bad” high-density cholesterol from the bloodstream, while the content of “useful” increases.

The same substances, balanced by a complex of other vitamins and minerals, regulate the functions of human immunity. Reducing the strength of radical reactions that damage membranes and DNA. Tocopherol and fatty acids are involved in antitumor protection.

The benefits of pecans are described in a video published by the Prosperity Culture channel.

You can also get from pecans:

1. Pecan oil. Use inside for colds, heart disease. Outwardly - for skin diseases, as well as during massage procedures.
2. Trunk wood. Appreciated by furniture manufacturers. It is believed that it is harder than oak.

Harm

Even these healthy nuts can cause harm:

1. body shape and weight. People who watch their weight need to remember that Kariya fruits are a very high-calorie product.
2. Allergies. Do not eat this product if you cannot tolerate peanuts, hazelnuts or walnuts. Cases of allergic reactions in children suffering from diathesis are also described.
3. Digestive disorders. They occur with the uncontrolled use of nuts.

Planting and growing

Kariya reproduces in the following ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• budding;
• vaccination.

It is easier to grow pecans from seeds than from seedlings. The latter often die during transplantation, since the root system of a young plant is vulnerable.

Preparing and choosing a landing site

It is important that there is a deep fertile layer of soil at the landing site of both seeds and subsequently seedlings. Water in the beds should not stagnate. Choose a well-lit area so that the trees do not grow in the shade of a house or other buildings.

How and when to plant?

Mature seeds are sown in the ground in autumn or spring. If the spring option is chosen, it is necessary to stratify the seeds. To do this, they are kept in a humid environment at a temperature of 2-4 degrees for 2 months. It is better to sow in April.

Before planting, beds and furrows are formed. It is better to leave a distance between rows of at least 1 m. The depth of seed placement in loose soil is 7-8 mm. After planting, the bed is watered and covered, sprinkled with sawdust, wood chips or mowed grass. This will protect the seeds from the scorching sun, showers and create comfortable conditions for germination.

Nut germination is better during spring planting. The first shoots appear in a month. Strong and tall seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place at the age of one year. Others - after 2-3 years, when they reach a height of at least 50 cm.

In the place where the walnut tree will grow, they dig a planting hole with a depth and width of at least 60 cm. When transplanting, they try not to damage the root system of a young pecan. Gently straightening the roots of the plant in the pit, they are sprinkled on top with loose soil. After that, carefully watering, you should sprinkle the ground with peat or sawdust.

Pecan care, fertilizer and top dressing

The basis of plant care is regular watering and fertilizing. In summer, make sure that the soil does not dry out. The roots of the tree must be constantly moistened, so during dry periods it is necessary to water more often and more abundantly. Some gardeners recommend periodically moistening the leaves using shower watering methods.

Pecan is a deciduous tree of North American origin, which can also be found sometimes in Asia, and even in the Crimea. Its fruit is a nut, similar to a walnut in its shape, and being its direct relative. Unlike its brother, the pecan has a smooth, elongated shell that hardens and cracks when ripe. Its taste is softer, more tender, does not carry a hint of bitterness, and the shell does not contain partitions inside that complicate the extraction of the fruit.

This chocolate-flavoured nut is not only an excellent alternative to animal proteins, but also contains many more nutrients. The content of fatty acids in these fruits allows us to consider it as a recommended food for all cores.

The first people to appreciate the pleasant taste and satiety of these nuts were the American Indians. Even before the discovery of the mainland by Columbus, pecans played an important role in their livelihood. They also made milk from them, which was considered healing and endowed with the ability to strengthen the body and restore strength. The fruits were saved in reserve in case there were no game or fish ponds nearby, and were used as currency. The trees themselves were planted by the tribes wherever their camps roamed.

Their legacy has come down to us, leaving a large number of places where the pecan grows. It is most widely distributed in the southern and eastern United States. However, trees have taken root well in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in Australia and Central Asia. General requirements for their growth are humidity and hot air.

Nut value

These chocolate nuts contain more sugar than any other, and are also the most high-calorie. A 200g pecan contains about 1750 calories, making up half of a person's daily needs.

One hundred grams of the product contains:

• 70% fat;
• 11% proteins;
• 14% carbohydrates;
• 14% sugars;
• 0.50 g of starch;
• vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B9, C, E;
• 121 mg magnesium, 70 mg calcium, 277 mg phosphorus, 410 mg sodium, 2.5 mg iron, 4.5 mg zinc, 1.20 mg copper, 4.5 mg manganese, 3.8 mg selenium.

Beneficial features

The chocolate pecan is known for its antioxidant properties. Scientists have found that the type of vitamin E found in pecans helps slow down the growth of tumors. The phytosterols contained in the kernels are able to lower the level of cholesterol in the body, reduce the risk of ischemic and varicose diseases. Nuts are recommended for anemia, beriberi. In addition, they improve the work of the reproductive and hormonal systems, help get rid of fatigue.

By cold pressing from the kernels, an oil is obtained that has the same medicinal properties as the nuts themselves, but with a higher level of concentration. The resulting liquid is very similar to olive oil, characterized by a golden color. Ingestion of oil relieves migraines, cures colds, improves appetite and restores strength.

Pecan oil is also credited with the ability to slow down the aging of the body and restore impaired immunity. External application allows you to get rid of bites, irritated, hematomas and fungus on the skin. It is also useful for the treatment of burns.

Harm and contraindications

When savoring a chocolate nut, it is very important not to forget the measures. Eating more than 100 grams of pecan at a time, it is easy to earn serious digestive problems. The high fat content in nuts can lead to intestinal disorders. It is also worth refraining from abuse by people suffering from allergies.

Without a shell, the fruits deteriorate very quickly and acquire a bitter taste, they cannot be eaten, so the nuts should be stored unpeeled. In this state, they can not deteriorate for up to six months at cool air temperatures.

Use

Pecans are usually eaten raw, fried or dried. It often becomes a zest added to baked goods, delicacies, and even the base for spirits. Sometimes, as several centuries ago, milk is made from these nuts by rubbing them and mixing them with water.

Pecan kernel oil is often used as a salad dressing and an ingredient in sauces. In America, pies baked with crushed nuts are an important part of any holiday feast.

cultivation

Growing pecans is best done in a warm climate, given the heat-loving nature of this tree. The soil must be fertile and moist, but without stagnant water.

The first couple of years the plant practically does not change in growth, then accelerates. Flowering usually occurs towards the end of spring - early summer, and the fruits ripen in mid-autumn. The yield of nuts for the first decades is small, but it grows every year. The plant is usually propagated by cuttings and grafting, that is, by vegetative means.

Pecans: Video

Exotic pecans from North America, once the staple food of the American Indians, have been a hit with Russian gourmets. When the Indians could not get meat on the hunt, they lived on nuts, which satisfied their hunger no worse than a piece of roasted bison. It is a pity that we do not grow pecans, but we can feast on nuts brought from the USA and Australia and cook delicious dishes from them, envying Americans who even add pecans to soups. However, who is stopping us from stocking up on pecans and turning them into gourmet delicacies? The taste of pecans is very unusual, it combines creamy, vanilla and chocolate notes - it seems like eating crumbly buttery cookies.

What is the benefit of exotic pecans?

It contains about 70% of useful fat, vitamins A, E and B, a whole complex of minerals and trace elements, fatty acids and phytosterols - biologically active substances contained in seeds and nuts. Phytosterols strengthen blood vessels and the heart, lower blood cholesterol and prevent the development of atherosclerosis. The beneficial properties of the pecan nut are that it gives strength and energy, increases endurance, performance and concentration - it is no coincidence that the Indians were very strong and strong. Everyone knows about the benefits of pecans, but what is its harm, if any? The fact is that the negative properties of the nut appear only in one case - if you overeat it. The pecan nut contains 691 calories, so overeating immediately affects the scales and well-being, because an excess of nut butter causes nausea and stomach discomfort. In addition, pecan stimulates appetite, and if you need to lose weight, this can be a serious obstacle on the way to a slim figure. Everything is good in moderation!

Pecan nut and its use in cooking

Pecans are delicious raw, roasted or dried, they are added to vegetable and fruit salads, cereals, cottage cheese, meat, fish and mushroom dishes, pastries and desserts. Walnuts go great with cheese and balsamic vinegar, and pecan oil can be used as a dressing for any dish, as it tastes very delicate and somewhat reminiscent of olive oil. American housewives prepare pecan pie, cake, cheesecake, pecan muffins, and pecan coffee for the holidays by grinding nuts with coffee beans and orange extract. American and European restaurants serve chicken with pecans and grapes, trout and ostrich meat sprinkled with nuts, pea soup with pecans, and homemade hazelnut chocolate.

Pecan and walnut: similarities and differences

How to replace the missing ones if they are indicated in the recipe? Many cooks use walnuts instead of pecans, which are a bit similar in appearance to pecans (a brain with convolutions), although pecans are sweeter, more tender and devoid of bitterness. Pecans do not have an internal partition, so they are easier to peel, they are not wormy and stay fresh for a long time, unlike walnuts, through the soft base of which caterpillars penetrate inside. The access of air often spoils the walnuts, and they become rancid - there are no such problems with pecans. Pecans are also more elegant and elongated than round walnuts, so pies and cakes decorated with pecans look very picturesque and original.

If you bought shelled pecans and can’t find a use for them, we recommend that you keep them in reserve, since nuts can lie in this form for up to two years, retaining their freshness, taste and benefits. If you feel a breakdown, you can easily break the thin and fragile shell, and then enjoy the delicious oily nut kernels. The ancient Indians understood that pecans are the best remedy for depression, chronic fatigue and aging!