There is no debating the health benefits of pecans, according to the National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA). Pecans are loaded with heart-healthy unsaturated fats and recently published scientific studies show that pecan consumption can help lower blood cholesterol.
Pecans also contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and several B vitamins. Pecans are naturally cholesterol-free and sodium-free, and one serving provides about 10 percent of the government's recommended Daily Values for zinc and fiber. History
The history of pecans can be traced back to the 16th century. The only major tree nut that grows naturally in North America, the pecan is considered one of 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."
Originating in central and eastern North America and the river valleys of Mexico, pecans 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.
Because wild pecans were readily available, many Native American tribes in the U.S. and Mexico used the wild pecan as a major food source during autumn. It is speculated that pecans were used to produce a fermented intoxicating drink called "Powcohicora" (where the word "hickory" comes from). It also is said that Native Americans first cultivated the pecan tree.
Fun Facts about Pecans
Can you imagine a pecan skyscraper? It would take 11,624 pecans, stacked end to end, to reach the top of the Empire State Building in New York City.
Texas adopted the pecan tree as its state tree in 1919. In fact, Texas Governor James Hogg liked pecan trees so much that he asked if a pecan tree could be planted at his gravesite when he died.
Pecans in space: it would take a line of over 10 billion pecans to reach the moon!
Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees, is the pecan capital of the U.S. Albany hosts the annual National Pecan Festival, which includes a race, parade, pecan-cooking contest, the crowning of the National Pecan Queen and many other activities.
Would you go nuts for a refreshing dip in the pool? You'd need a lot of pecans - 144 million to be exact - to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
It takes a magnificent tree to produce a great-tasting nut. Pecan trees usually range in height from 70 to 100 feet, but some trees grow as tall as 150 feet or higher. Native pecan trees - those over 150 years old - have trunks more than three feet in diameter.
That's one heavy nut: it would take 5,640 pecan halves to equal the weight of a standard watermelon.
Pecans come in a variety of sizes - mammoth, extra large, large, medium, small and midget. They also come in several forms including whole pecans, pecan halves, pieces, granules and meal.
There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans. Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.
Some of the larger pecan shellers process 150,000 pounds of pecans each day. That's enough to make 300,000 pecan pies!
The U.S. produces about 80 percent of the world's pecan crop.
Before a shelled pecan is ready to be sold, it must first be cleaned, sized, sterilized, cracked and finally, shelled.
Chocolate Fun Facts
-Did you know chocolate has been heralded for it's value as an energy source? Think of it this way: a single chocolate chip provides sufficient food energy for an adult to walk 150 feet; hence it would take about 35 chocolate chips to go a mile or 875,000 to go on an around the world hike!
-U.S. Consumers eat 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate annually.
- Although chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, as the ancient Aztecs beleived, Chocolate contains Phenylethamine, a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the same reaction as falling in love. Hence, heartbreak and lonliness are excuses for chocolate overindulgance.
- It is reported that Napolean carried chocolate with him on his military campaigns and always ate it when he needed quick energy.
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