October Texas Pecan Month
The recent cooler temperatures and the hint of the holidays in the air, should have everyone thinking about pecan pie and other great pecan dishes. Comanche County pecan producers have just started harvesting and there will soon be some new crop pecans for everyone to enjoy.
With approximately 12,500 acres and nut sales averaging 10 to 18 million yearly, Comanche County is one of the top counties in the U.S. for pecan production.
Certainly, pecans are big business in Comanche County. To help celebrate the pecan October is Texas Pecan Month.
Not only do pecans taste good, but they are also extremely nutrient rich and healthy. The number of health benefits that have been discovered in scientific nutrition and health research studies on the pecan are amazing.
Take a minute to look at some of these studies on the Texas Pecan Growers Association website: http://www.tpga.org/ index.php, the Texas pecan Board site: https:// www.texaspecanboard. com/ or the American Pecan Council website: https://americanpecan. com/. You can also find lots of excellent recipes and other information about pecans on these sites.
Here is a list of some of the nutrition benefits offered by eating pecans: 90% of the fats in pecans are unsaturated (about 6 0 % monounsaturated/30% polyunsaturated) A serving of pecans (30g) provides about 25 percent more oleic acid than a serving of olive oil (one tablespoon)
Pecans are cholesterol free
Pecans are sodium free
Pecans are fiber-rich
Pecans are a valuable plant protein source
Pecans have more than 19 vitamins & minerals
They are an excellent source of gamma tocopherol, an important type of vitamin E
They contain concentrated amounts of natural plant sterols, touted for their cholesterol-lowering ability
Pecans contain a variety of phytochemicals
Nuts are recommended by the American Heart Association and U.S. Dietary Guidelines as a desirable source of hearthealthy unsaturated fat.
While the health benefits are wonderful it is the rich, buttery sweet flavor of the pecan that makes it popular. Fall is an excellent time to enjoy pecans in holiday recipes or just by themselves.
Comanche County has a strong heritage associated with pecans and local pecan growers and families. Be sure to stop by one of the many local pecan outlets in the county this fall and purchase some locally grown nutritious pecans, you will not be sorry.