Pecan
Pecan nuts are high in thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, which contributes to the normal function of the heart (1,2,3). They are also high in monounsaturated fat, which may help you to reduce the risk factors of cardiometabolic disease (4).
Not only are pecans considered a healthy-heart food, they are also one of the richest plant sources of total polyphenol antioxidants, known for their ability to combat cell damage (5).
1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release April, 2018.
2. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012.
3. McKay, D., Eliasziw, M., Chen, C., & Blumberg, J. (2018). A pecan-rich diet improves cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 10(3), 339.
4. Bolling, B. W., Chen, C. Y. O., McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2011). Tree nut phytochemicals: composition, antioxidant capacity, bioactivity, impact factors. A systematic review of almonds,
5. Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Nutrition research reviews, 24(2), 244-275.
Pecans are a Healthy-Heart Food
| Nutrient | Units | Value per 100gr | Value per 28gr, 1 oz (1 handful) |
| Proximates | |||
| Water | g | 3.52 | 1.00 |
| Energy | kcal | 691 | 196 |
| Energy | kJ | 2889 | 819 |
| Nutrient | Units | Value per 100gr | Value per 28gr, 1 oz (1 handful) |
| Proximates | |||
| Water | g | 3.52 | 1.00 |
| Energy | kcal | 691 | 196 |
| Energy | kJ | 2889 | 819 |
| Protein | g | 9.17 | 2.60 |
| Total lipid (fat) | g | 71.97 | 20.40 |
| Ash | g | 1.49 | 0.42 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | g | 13.86 | 3.93 |
| Fiber, total dietary | g | 9.6 | 2.7 |
| Sugars, total | g | 3.97 | 1.13 |
| Sucrose | g | 3.90 | 1.11 |
| Glucose (dextrose) | g | 0.04 | 0.01 |
| Fructose | g | 0.04 | 0.01 |
| Lactose | g | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Maltose | g | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Starch | g | 0.46 | 0.13 |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium, Ca | mg | 70 | 20 |
| Iron, Fe | mg | 2.53 | 0.72 |
| Magnesium, Mg | mg | 121 | 34 |
| Phosphorus, P | mg | 277 | 79 |
| Potassium, K | mg | 410 | 116 |
| Sodium, Na | mg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Zinc, Zn | mg | 4.53 | 1.28 |
| Copper, Cu | mg | 1.200 | 0.340 |
| Manganese, Mn | mg | 4.500 | 1.276 |
| Selenium, Se | µg | 3.8 | 1.1 |
| Fluoride, F | µg | 10.0 | 2.8 |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | mg | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Thiamin | mg | 0.660 | 0.187 |
| Riboflavin | mg | 0.130 | 0.037 |
| Niacin | mg | 1.167 | 0.331 |
| Pantothenic acid | mg | 0.863 | 0.245 |
| Vitamin B-6 | mg | 0.210 | 0.060 |
| Folate, total | µg | 22 | 6 |
| Folic acid | µg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Folate, food | µg | 22 | 6 |
| Folate, DFE | µg | 22 | 6 |
| Choline, total | mg | 40.5 | 11.5 |
| Betaine | mg | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Vitamin B-12 | µg | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Vitamin B-12, added | µg | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Vitamin A, RAE | µg | 3 | 1 |
| Retinol | µg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Carotene, beta | µg | 29 | 8 |
| Carotene, alpha | µg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | µg | 9 | 3 |
| Vitamin A, IU | IU | 56 | 16 |
| Lycopene | µg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | µg | 17 | 5 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | mg | 1.40 | 0.40 |
| Vitamin E, added | mg | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Tocopherol, beta | mg | 0.39 | 0.11 |
| Tocopherol, gamma | mg | 24.44 | 6.93 |
| Tocopherol, delta | mg | 0.47 | 0.13 |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | µg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vitamin D | IU | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | µg | 3.5 | 1.0 |
| Lipids | |||
| 4:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | g | 6.180 | 1.752 |
| 6:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 8:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 10:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 13:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 12:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 14:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 15:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 16:0 | g | 4.366 | 1.238 |
| 18:0 | g | 1.745 | 0.495 |
| 20:0 | g | 0.069 | 0.020 |
| 17:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | g | 40.801 | 11.567 |
| 22:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 24:0 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 16:1 undifferentiated | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 14:1 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 18:1 undifferentiated | g | 40.594 | 11.508 |
| 20:1 | g | 0.207 | 0.059 |
| 24:1 c | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 22:1 undifferentiated | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 18:2 undifferentiated | g | 20.628 | 5.848 |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | g | 21.614 | 6.128 |
| 20:2 n-6 c,c | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 18:3 undifferentiated | g | 0.986 | 0.280 |
| 18:4 | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 20:3 undifferentiated | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 20:4 undifferentiated | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Cholesterol | g | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Stigmasterol | mg | 3 | 1 |
| 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | g | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Beta-sitosterol | mg | 117 | 33 |
| Campesterol | mg | 6 | 2 |
| Amino Acids | |||
| Tryptophan | g | 0.093 | 0.026 |
| Threonine | g | 0.306 | 0.087 |
| Isoleucine | g | 0.336 | 0.095 |
| Leucine | g | 0.598 | 0.170 |
| Lysine | g | 0.287 | 0.081 |
| Methionine | g | 0.183 | 0.052 |
| Cystine | g | 0.152 | 0.043 |
| Phenylalanine | g | 0.426 | 0.121 |
| Tyrosine | g | 0.215 | 0.061 |
| Valine | g | 0.411 | 0.117 |
| Arginine | g | 1.177 | 0.334 |
| Histidine | g | 0.262 | 0.074 |
| Alanine | g | 0.397 | 0.113 |
| Aspartic acid | g | 0.929 | 0.263 |
| Glutamic acid | g | 1.829 | 0.519 |
| Glycine | g | 0.453 | 0.128 |
| Proline | g | 0.363 | 0.103 |
| Serine | g | 0.474 | 0.134 |
| Others | |||
| Alcohol, ethyl | g | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Caffeine | mg | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Theobromine | mg | 0.0 | 0.0 |