Pecan Halves

What Are Pecan Halves?

Related to the walnut, pecans are native to America, and grow enclosed in a glossy, browny-red oval shell. The kernel inside shares the walnut’s trademark grooved surface, but has a slightly more even, oval shape.

Its skin is a warmer, lighter brown, and the nut itself is creamier. It goes well in both savoury and sweet dishes, most famously pecan pie, a classic recipe from the American south.

Why Should I Get Pecan Halves?

Sweet and rich, the pecan’s distinct flavour and texture is the result of its high levels of monounsaturated oil - in fact, it’s the fattiest of all nuts. So its no surprise that pecan nuts are a rich source of energy, carrying a whopping 690 calories/100 g.

The nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and are an excellent source of phenolic antioxidants. Regular addition of pecan nuts in the diet helps to decrease LDL or bad cholesterol, and increases HDL or good cholesterol levels in the blood.

The fat content certainly doesn’t account entirely for the pecans’ health promoting effects however, as they’re also packed with tons of B-complex vitamins, folates, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and vitamin-E, being especially rich in gamma-tocopherol, providing 25 g per 100 g.