Walnut pecan: useful properties. Pecan: taste

The pecan nut, whose useful properties will be described in this article, is exotic, since it does not grow not only in Russia, but even throughout our continent. Well, in North America it is an integral part of the diet of any family. As in normal, and on holidays, Americans necessarily prepare meals with the addition of this nut. When did he appear?

History

Even before Columbus discovered America, the pecan nut, the photo of which is in the article, was considered almost the main type of food. He helped the Indians survive in the absence of food. After all, hunting did not always end well. And to store the same meat was quite difficult. Pecans can be stored for future use. Its strong shell is a sealed package that protects the contents from negative influences and pests.

When the Indians mastered the new territory of the continent, creating villages, camps and camps, they always planted walnut trees nearby . After 7-8 years, they began to bear fruit. The best nuts had a large core and the finest shell. It was them that the Indians collected first.

For the first time detailed information about pecans was provided by Spaniard Cabejd de Vac in the 16th century, who noticed this culture among the Indians of North America. The information aroused the interest of European researchers in this nut. They personally came to America to see the process of autumn harvesting of pecans for the winter. The oldest plantations of this plant (200 years old) are registered in Mexico.

Agricultural production

The first place in the development of pecan culture belongs to settlers from New York. Now the range of this nut has greatly expanded. It is grown in Oregon, California, New Mexico, Florida, Georgia and Virginia. Despite its excellent qualities, the pecan for some reason did not really catch on to other continents. But still outside of Mexico and America it is grown in South Africa, Peru, Israel, China, Brazil and Australia. In the US, pecan is superior in importance to walnuts. Production is established in 14 states. This is a whole field of the national economy, which has gone through many stages of development. According to statistics, in 1920, about 1 thousand tons of pecans were produced, and in the last decade this figure increased to 120 thousand tons.

Collection of nuts from natural plantations is carried out mainly in the states of Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Georgia. Fluctuations in annual production depend on changing weather conditions. So, because of weather dislocations in 2008, 86 thousand tons of walnut were harvested, although a year earlier this figure was 175 thousand tons. Almost 90% of all pecans are collected in the USA. Mostly, the Americans export it to Hong Kong, Canada and Mexico. For example, in 2008 they sold 52 thousand tons of walnut for a quarter of a million dollars. At the same time, imports were made up to 40,000 tons, most of which came from Mexico. She and the United States own 100% of the world market.

Appearance and taste

In appearance , the pecan nut , the useful properties of which you will learn below, resembles the olives. Look at the picture and see the similarity. And in the purified form it is very similar to a walnut. Pecan without a shell also resembles the human brain. The taste is almost the same as that of walnuts, only more tender and softer, and the fruits do not bitterly at all. There is a pecan one more feature - inside the shell there are no partitions, which makes it easy to remove the core. Now consider its composition.

Composition

Walnut pecans, whose price in Russia is about 900 rubles per half a kilogram, has a rich nutritional composition. It includes many micro- and macroelements (copper, iron, selenium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, etc.), as well as ash, fiber and vitamins (K, E, C, A, B). Among the B vitamins, the presence of folic acid is especially valuable.

Beneficial features

Due to the presence of vitamin E, the nut has anti-cancer properties. Also pecan is useful in beriberi, with anemia. If you regularly use this nut, then the body will increase the content of such a component as gamma-tocopherol. This substance that protects DNA, proteins, fats and cholesterol from oxidation, which has a beneficial effect on the heart, prevents the appearance of atherosclerosis, ischemic disease and varicose veins.

Pecan nut, useful properties of which are known to all dieticians, stimulates appetite, helps to relieve fatigue, optimizes the activity of the hormonal and reproductive system.

With a reasonable use and replacement of caloric products, you can reduce your own weight. But if there is pecan in large quantities, moreover with the addition of other fatty foods, the result will be the opposite. At the end of the article, the optimal single dose is indicated.

Butter

Useful not only the pecan itself, the taste of which was described above, but also the oil obtained from its fruits. To obtain a real quality oil, which preserves all the useful properties, it is necessary to apply the method of cold pressing. The final product should have a nutty smell and a golden yellow color. To taste, pecan oil is very similar to olive oil. As for the composition, it contains many fatty acids, phytosterols, vitamins and minerals.

This oil is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. In case of external application it is used as a cosmetic. Pecan oil helps to get rid of insect bites, sunburn, fungal infections, skin irritants, and also reduces hematomas. Take it advised with a decrease in appetite, fatigue and headaches. In addition, many people know this oil as an excellent preventive medicine for colds.

How to choose

The pecan nut, the price of which was listed above, is better to buy in a supermarket or a specialized store. In this case, you can find out the shelf life of the product indicated on the package. A quality product has a clean undamaged shell. If, during the shaking of the nut, a kernel knock about the shell is heard, it has dried up and lost its useful properties. When buying refined fruits, make sure they are whole, fleshy and shiny.

Application in Cooking

Pecan nuts, whose benefits are undoubted, has a significant advantage - universal application. It can be consumed in fried and dried form. It is perfectly combined with dried fruits, other nuts and used for making confectionery and vegetable salads. From this nut are baked pies, cookies, bread. And, of course, oil is made from it, about which we wrote above.

Methods of storage

The pecan nut, the photo of which is in many encyclopaedias of plants, is not stored for too long. A high fat content at room temperature will make it rancid, and a wonderful nutty flavor will be replaced by an unpleasant odor. To increase the shelf life, it is better to store pecans in the refrigerator. In this case, he will not lose his useful properties for 4 months. In the freezer, this period increases to six months. Purified fruits should be folded in a sealed package and stored no more than 2 months.

Contraindications

Pecan nut, the useful properties of which you learned from this article, in certain cases may be harmful. For example, with excessive use. This can cause indigestion. The optimum harmless single dose is 100 grams. It is also very cautious to use this nut to those who have liver problems, there is an allergy or an individual intolerance to this product.