Health benefits of pecan nut By Mr Allah Dad Khan

2. Health Benefits of Pecan Nut
By
Mr Allah Dad Khan

4. A Concentrated Source of Natural Plant
Sterols
• After conducting laboratory nutrient
analyses, researchers at the University of
Georgia (UGA) have determined that plant
sterols – widely researched and touted for
their cholesterol-lowering ability – are found
naturally in pecans in concentrated amounts.
According to Dr. Ron Eitenmiller, pecans
contain as much as 95 milligrams of plant
sterols per 100 grams – 90 percent of which
is in the form of beta-sitosterol. Beta-
sitosterol has been cited in multitudes of
animal and human research studies as a food
component that competes with the
absorption of cholesterol in the body, and
thus has the ability to lower blood
cholesterol levels. According to the
researchers, by increasing consumption of
pecans (or peanuts), a person could easily
raise the plant sterol levels in the diet to the
point where health effects have been
proven.

5. Anti-aging Benefits:
• Pecans contain numerous
antioxidants including ellagic acid,
vitamin A and vitamin E. These
antioxidants fight and eliminate the
free radicals which are responsible
for causing premature skin aging.
Thus, pecans can prevent the
occurrence of signs of aging such as
fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation.
• Just like our skin, healthy hair is also a
reflection of a healthy body. Thus,
our hair follicles require adequate
supply of vital nutrients to maintain
their health and prevent hair
problems. The nutritional value of
pecans makes them beneficial for
your hair.

6. Anti-cancer Properties:
• Pecans are rich in phytochemical
substances such as polyphenolic
antioxidant ellagic acid, vitamin E,
beta-carotene, lutein and zea-
xanthin. These compounds play
an important role in removing
toxic oxygen-free radicals, thus
protecting your body from
diseases, cancer and infections.
Ellagic acid possesses anti-
proliferative properties which
inhibit DNA binding of certain
carcinogens such as nitrosamines
and polycyclic hydrocarbons, thus
protecting the human body from
cancers.

7. Anti-inflammatory Benefits:
• Pecans are rich in magnesium
which is known for its anti-
inflammatory benefits. Studies
have proved that increased
magnesium intake reduces
inflammatory indicators in the
body such as CRP (C-reactive
protein), TNF (tumor necrosis
factor alpha) and IL6
(interlukin 6). It also reduces
inflammation in the arterial
walls, thus reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease,
arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease
and other inflammatory
ailments.

8. Beautifies the Skin
When it comes to maintaining a
healthy and nourished skin, peanuts
are very popular because of their
vitamin E, vitamin A, folate,
phosphorus, and zinc contents. Zinc
guards the skin from infections
making it flawless. Vitamin A keeps
your skin fair. Vitamin A also
maintains skin cells as well as repairs
damaged ones. Vitamin E makes
your skin beautiful not only from the
outside but from the inside. All in all,
consumption of pecans can help in
making your skin young-looking,
glowing, and revitalized.

9. Bone and Teeth Health:
• Phosphorus is one of the most
abundant minerals in the body
after calcium. Nearly 85% of
phosphorus is found in bones and
teeth while the other 15% is
found in cells and tissues. Besides
cleansing the waste from the
body, phosphorus, along with
calcium, promotes the health of
your bones and teeth. This
mineral is also vital for the
growth and repair of cells and
tissues as well as production of
DNA and RNA. Lastly, it prevents
muscle pain that can occur due to
exercising.

10. Boosting Heart Health
Fiber is also known to boost
heart health. Pecans also contain
heart-healthy monounsaturated
fats like oleic acid along with
phenolic antioxidants. Both of
these substances help to prevent
coronary artery disease and
strokes. Additionally, one study
(of many studies coming to
similar conclusions) published in
the August 2006 issue of
Nutrition Research found that
pecans may help prevent
coronary heart disease by
inhibiting unwanted oxidation of
blood lipids.

11. Boosts Immunity
“Adequate intake of
manganese is vital for nerve
conduction and brain
function, and pecans are a
rich source of manganese
which is a powerful
antioxidant. This trace
mineral protects your nerve
cells from free-radical
damage, thus boosting
immunity and protecting the
body from diseases,
infections, etc.”

12. Breast Cancer Risk
Like olive oil, pecans contain
oleic acid, a fatty acid with
some promising benefits.
One of oleic acid’s prime
benefits revolves around the
reduced risk of breast
cancer, where the substance
has been shown to induce
migration and proliferation
in breast cancer cells, and
promote an increase in
breast cancer cell
invasiveness.

13. Digestive Health:
• The fiber contained in
pecans promotes colon
health and facilitates
regular bowel
movements. It enables
the colon to work at
greater levels of efficiency
by cleaning out the
gastrointestinal system.
Besides, it prevents
constipation and reduces
the risk of colitis, colon
cancer and hemorrhoids.

14. Fights Gallstones
Consumption of nuts such
as peanuts, almonds and
pecans etc. is also
associated with reduced
risk of gallstones.

15. Helps in Weight Loss:
• Research has indicated
that a diet comprising
of nuts such as pecans
helps in losing weight.
This is because nut
consumption enhances
satiety and increases
metabolism.

16. Helps Maintain Clear Complexion:
• Pecans contain zinc
which helps in
maintaining skin health
by guarding against
infections. Vitamin A on
the other hand is an
antioxidant which gives
you a clear complexion.

17. Helps Improve and Maintain Peak Brain
Function
Many of the minerals found
in pecans contribute to the
proper functioning of the
brain. Thiamine is given to
patients with Wernicke-
Korsakoff syndrome, a brain
disorder common in
alcoholics due to thiamine
deficiency, which afflicts
between 30 percent and 80
percent of people who
abuse alcohol.

18. Helps in Treatment of Diabetes
Although research in this
area is minimal at this point,
there are early findings that
suggest supplementing your
diet with manganese-rich
foods, like pecans, can help
in the management of
diabetes symptoms. Higher
manganese levels are
associated with better
insulin secretion and
increased glucose tolerance.

19. Neural system
Besides the nutrients that
we’ve looked at so far,
pecans are also very rich
in minerals such as
potassium and zinc which
are excellent for your
neural system.

20. Pecans replace meat:
Like meat, pecans are nutrient
dense, flavorful, and high in
protein, but unlike meat, they
contain very little saturated fat,
which increases the risk of heart
attack. Instead pecans are high in
healthy unsaturated fats ad
contain compounds that can help
lower cholesterol.
Pecans helps digestion: A single
ounce of pecans provides 10% of
the daily recommended value of
dietary fiber. High fiber diets help
maintain a healthy digestive
system.

21. Pecan nuts are naturally sodium-free:
This makes them the
perfect choice for those
people who are on a low
salt or sodium-restricted
diet.

22. Prevents Hair Loss:
• Anemia is one of the common
causes of hair loss. It is caused by
iron deficiency in the blood.
Pecans, being a good source of
iron, can be included in your diet
to improve your blood iron levels
and hence, combat hair loss.
•
• Credit:
SABA, http://www.stylecraze.com
/articles/benefits-of-pecans-for-
skin-hair-and-health/
•

23. Prevents Oxidative Stress
Pecans, like many other foods
rich in healthy fats, boast a
very high antioxidant load.
Because so many
environmental and dietary
issues promote oxidative
damage within your body, it’s
important to eat high
antioxidant foods to
counteract this damage.
Damage due to oxidative stress
is commonly paired with high
incidence rates of cancers,
heart disease and many other
diseases in which cells mutate

24. Preventing Muscle Soreness
After calcium phosphorus is the
most abundant minerals in the
body, with 85% of it being found
in bones and teeth. The other
15% can be found in both cells
and tissues. In addition to helping
the body to cleanse waste, the
mineral partners up with calcium
to promote the health of your
bones and teeth. Additionally, the
mineral is essential for the
growth and repair of cells and
tissues along with the production
of DNA and RNA. Lastly,
phosphorus helps prevent muscle
pain following exercise.

25. Prevents Skin Problems:
• The outside appearance of our
skin depends upon how we treat
it from the inside. Thus, adequate
nutrition is inevitable for
maintaining a healthy skin and
preventing skin problems. The
toxins inside your body can make
your skin suffer by causing
breakouts, dullness and excess
oil. Pecans are a good source of
fiber which can do wonders for
your health and hence, for your
skin. It aids in the elimination of
toxins and waste from the body,
thereby improving the
appearance of your skin.

26. Promotes Colon Health
Because pecans are rich in
fiber, it also helps in
improving your colon
health. Fibrous foods
cleanse the gastrointestinal
system for optimal colon
functioning and efficiency. If
you eat a lot of fiber, your
colon will function as
expected. Because of this,
Pecans also help in reducing
risks of colon cancer,
hemorrhoids, and colitis.

27. Prostate Health.
• The same natural compound that
gives pecans its cholesterol-lowering
power, has also been shown to be
effective in treating the symptoms of
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a
non-cancerous enlargement of the
prostate gland in men. About two
ounces of pecans provides a dose of
beta-sitosterol found to be effective.
In addition, a recent laboratory study
from Purdue University found that
gamma-tocopherol, the type of
vitamin E found in pecans, has the
ability to kill prostate cancer cells
while leaving healthy cells alone. The
researchers now want to test this and
other types of vitamin E in animals.

28. Reduces Blood Pressure:
• Magnesium in pecans
has been shown to help
lower blood pressure.
Though pecans cannot
cure hypertension, they
do help lower it.

29. Reduces the Risk of Stroke:
• Studies have proved
that consuming 100
milligrams of
magnesium per day
reduces the risk of
stroke by 9%. Pecan
being a good source of
magnesium can form
part of your diet to reap
this benefit.

30. Relieving Constipation
Fiber is essential for promoting
colon health and paving way
for regular bowel movements.
The fiber found in pecans help
to clean out the
gastrointestinal system,
allowing the colon to work at
greater levels of efficiency.
Some other benefits relating
to fiber and colon health are
reduced risks of colitis, colon
cancer, and hemorrhoids.

31. Stimulates Hair Growth:
• Pecans are an excellent source
of L-arginine, an amino acid
which, when applied topically
helps treat male pattern
baldness as well as encourage
the growth of healthy hair.
Vibrant blood flow throughout
the body and to the hair roots
is vital for healthy hair growth
and scalp. L-arginine is
beneficial in this regard as it
improves the health of the
artery walls by making them
more flexible and less prone to
blood clots which can block
the flow of blood.