The Alabama Pecan Festival

The Alabama
Pecan Festival

HISTORY OF THE PECAN

The pecan tree is a large North American tree that bears sweet edible nuts. The nuts range from 1 to 2.5 inches in length and are deep brown in color. A pecan tree usually ranges from 70 to 100 feet in height, but can grow as tall as 170 feet. In addition to the nuts, pecan trees yield strong hard timber used in flooring and furniture.

The best pecans are harvested each year in Alabama. Here, pecans are grown in a sandy loam soil with a clay subsoil to produce an exceptional nut.

Historically pecans can be traced back to the 16th century. The only major tree nut that grows naturally in North America, the pecan is considered the most valuable North American nut species. The name "pecan" is a Native American word of Algonquin origin that was used to describe "all nuts requiring a stone to crack."

Pecans originated in central and eastern North America and the river valleys of Mexico and were widely used by pre-colonial residents. Pecans were favored because they were accessible to waterways, easier to shell than other North American nut species and of course, for their great taste!

One of the first known cultivated pecan tree plantings, by Spanish colonists and Franciscans in northern Mexico, appears to have taken place in the late 1600's or early 1700's. These plantings are documented to around 1711 - about 60 years before the first recorded planting by U.S. colonists.

The first U.S. pecan planting was in Long Island, NY in 1772. By the late 1700's pecans from the northern range reached the English portion of the Atlantic Seaboard and were planted in the gardens of easterners such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Settlers along the Gulf Coast were also planting pecans in community gardens during this time.

New Orleans, a city that had a natural market as well as an avenue for redistributing pecans to other parts of the U.S. and the world became very important to the marketing of the pecan.

During the 1700's and early 1800's the pecan became an item of commerce for the American colonists and the pecan industry was born. In San Antonio the wild pecan harvest was more valuable than the popular row crops like cotton!

Pecan groves and orchards began to surface all along the Gulf Coast, with Alabama being one of the most popular marketing places. The successful use of grafting techniques led to grafted orchards of superior genotypes and proved to be a milestone for the pecan industry. The adoption of these techniques was slow and had little commercial impact until the 1880's when nurserymen learned of pecan grafting and began propagation on a commercial level.

Pecan production has steadily increased in the United States since 1925, rising from 2.2 million pounds in 1920 to 338.1 million pounds in 1998.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Lower Cholesterol With Pecans.....Several studies on nuts, including pecans, have shown that blood cholesterol levels can be lowered when nuts are incorporated into the diet. Pecans actually contain plant components with antioxidant properties, which can slow the oxidation or "rusting" of LDL (low-density lipoproteins), otherwise known as bad cholesterol. University research has confirmed that pecans also contain plant sterols, which have been in the news as of late for their cholesterol-lowering ability.

Nutrition From A To Zinc.....Pecans add undeniable zest and flavor to any meal, as well as nutritional benefits. Pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, several B vitamins, and zinc. A single ounce of pecans (a small handful or about 15 halves) has more zinc than a 3.5 ounce piece of skinless chicken. Zinc is an important nutrient for proper growth and strong immunity. Most good sources of zinc are foods of animal origin, but pecans happen to be a plant-based source. Also, over half the fat found in pecans is monounsaturated fat, and another 29% is polyunsaturated fat. This means that almost 90% of the fats (oils) in pecans are heart-healthy!

You Can't Get A More Healthy Food.....Consider this...olive oil contains a type of monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid, and olive oil is known to be very healthy. The standard serving of pecans (one ounce) on the other hand, provides approximately 29% MORE of this beneficial fat than the standard serving of olive oil (one tablespoon). Also, numerous studies have shown that phytochemicals like those found in pecans act like antioxidants that may have a protective effect against certain diseases, such as various cancers and heart disease.

Protein And Fiber.....Pecans belong to the protein group in the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid, along with meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dried beans. This makes pecans a nutritious alternative for vegetarians and those striving to eat a more plant-based diet. To increase fiber intake, just add pecans to your diet. One ounce of pecans has about the same amount of fiber as a medium-sized apple and provides 10% of the recommended Daily Value for fiber.

Lose Weight?? YES!.....In moderation, nuts can be compatible with a weight-loss diet. When 12 female volunteers changed their diet from a refined-foods diet (low in fruits and vegetables) to a plant-rich diet (which included consuming nuts), their antioxidant defenses relaxed and their enzyme activity decreased because their diet was rich in phytochemicals. (Phytochemicals are high in antioxidants and promote health throughout the lifecycle.) These volunteers' cholesterol levels, which were high before the study, also decreased on the plant-rich diet. As a part of their total diet, the women consumed two tablespoons of pecans and other nuts daily for four weeks.

So, You See.....Pecans are good for you, and they are delicious! Eat pecans every day and your body will thank you for it!