Pecans - Kosher, Raw, Vegan, No Shell, Sirtfood

In one word pecans can be described as "delicious." This particular kind of nut has rich, sweet, buttery flavor that is impossible not to fall in love with. Pecans have been widely used by Native Americans for centuries and are still popular today. However, nowadays they are more celebrated as a delicious snack than a remedy.

It doesn't diminish the fact that pecans are exceptionally beneficial for your health. They are very nutritious and can boost your energy levels quickly. Like other nuts, they are somewhat high in calories. However, pecans contain healthy fats, so the chances of your waistline growing from eating them are minuscule.

Health Benefits

The most important benefits that you can get from including pecans in your diet on a regular basis are:

* Lowering of blood cholesterol levels and heart disease prevention
High levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol are a major contributing factor for heart disease, stroke, and many other dangerous conditions that target your blood vessels. Pecans are packed with oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat that effectively boosts your level of "good" HDL cholesterol and cleanses your arteries from dangerous pollution.
* Removing toxins from your body and cancer prevention
Oxidation deals a significant amount of damage to your body on a cellular level. Pecans contain substantial amounts of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, zeaxanthin, and ellagic acid. They protect your body from the strikes of free radicals, as well as assist in removing toxins. It improves your overall health, slows down the process of natural aging, and reduces the risks of developing some severe diseases.
In fact, the ellagic acid, in particular, possesses the ability to prevent certain carcinogens from binding to your DNA. Therefore, it boosts your body's natural protection from cancers significantly.
* Reducing the risk of many diseases.
Pecans are full of essential nutrients. Therefore, that eating them on a regular basis will ensure that you don't develop any serious deficiencies. Because it's elemental deficiencies that serve as a significant risk factor for many diseases, eating these delicious nuts will significantly reduce your chances of developing these health problems.

Please note that pecans are nuts and, therefore, can cause type-1 hypersensitivity response in the people allergic to them. If you have a prior history of showing allergic reactions to any nuts, you should exercise caution.

Culinary Uses

Pecans can be eaten raw. They can be salted or sweetened to suit your taste without any loss of the product's initial nutritional value. Due to their rich buttery flavor, pecans are often used in desserts, especially sundaes.

Pecan nut butter is a great spread to go with bread. When processed in this way, the nuts maintain a considerable amount of their original nutritional value.

Unshelled nuts can be stored for months in a cool, dry place. However, their shelled counterparts should be kept in an airtight sealed container inside a refrigerator.