John Myers
The pecan is closely related to the walnut, but more elongated and thin-skinned. Their shell is smooth and light to dark brown and can easily be cracked with your hands. The four-part brown kernel is similar in shape to walnuts. The nut grows on the so-called hickory tree. This grows up to 30 meters high. The trunk has deep furrows and is light brown to grey.
Origin
Home of the pecan nut are the warm states of the USA, which are still the largest producer today. It is now increasingly being cultivated in Australia and South America.
Season
Thanks to its cultivation areas on both sides of the equator, the pecan nut is in season all year round: in Australia from May to late summer, from September in the USA. It is therefore also available as an import product all year round.
Use
The pecan nut is often eaten on its own as a cracked, whole nut. Originally it was an important food for the Indians due to its nutrient density and high fat content. But the nut also tastes great in salads. In Europe it is often an ingredient in confectionery and baked goods.
Storage/shelf life
Stored cool and dry, the pecan nut can be kept for up to a year. So there is no risk of it going rancid.
Nutritional value/active ingredients
With approx. 699 kcal or 2926 kJ, the pecan nut has a very high energy content. However, the proportion of valuable unsaturated fatty acids is very high at over 85%. The pecan nut also contains minerals such as iron, potassium, copper, manganese, and zinc as well as vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and biotin. Vitamin B1 and manganese ensure normal energy-yielding metabolism, pantothenic acid helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue, and biotin, like zinc, helps maintain normal skin. Folate, which also belongs to the B vitamins, as well as iron support normal blood formation. The mineral potassium is responsible for maintaining normal blood pressure and copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
