In the crown of a 130 feet pecan tree one can find hard shelled nuts called pecans. The name pecan means "the nut too hard to crack by hand" and has been consumed by humans for ages. The Native American Indians commonly used pecan nuts for bread, spices, and fermented drinks. Pecan originated from central Texas and northern Mexico, from which it has been spread to other states including Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona, Louisiana, and even the northern state Iowa. Pecan trees were a common sight in Texas in the 1500s. However, the quality of its wood increased the demand and almost eliminated the pecan tree's existence. However, in the early 1900s the governor of Texas, James Hogg, was devastated by the pecan tree's rapid decrease. On his deathbed Hogg asked that a pecan tree would be planted on his grave instead of a stone. Its nuts would be given out to the people to plant and make Texas the land of trees. Today, the pecan tree is the state tree of Texas.
Today, pecan production is a multi-million dollar business providing over 342 million pounds in 1999. The varieties of pecans are many including, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Pawnee, Sioux, Desirable, Shawnee, Wichita, and Shoshoni. There are also different nut qualities ranging from "Fancy" to "Damaged". The color of the pecan indicates its quality. The lighter the color the higher the value of the nut. Pecans can be bought all year around, but the best time is to during the fall months when they are ripe and fresh. If in the shell, buy smooth pecans, which are not light for their size. Search for uniform shapes and light colors.
Pecans should be stored in airtight bags or containers, preferably in the refrigerator (6-9 months) or the freezer (2 years). The nuts can be thawed and refrozen without losing quality. If the nut is shriveled or smell very strongly, discard it.
Pecan nuts are covered with a layer of tannins, which causes a bitter taste. The bitter taste can be removed by washing the nuts and soaking them in lukewarm water will enhance their sweetness. Allow the pecans to dry for 15 minutes on a paper towel.
Nutrition facts per serving of pecan nuts (1 serving = 1 oz Shelled - 1/4 cup) energy: 200 kcal, total fat: 20 gm, saturated fat: 2 gm, protein: 3 gm, cholesterol: 0 gm, carbohydrates: 4 gm, fiber: 2 gm, sugar: 1 gm
Pecan nuts are high in protein, and unsaturated fats and have no cholesterol. They are also low in sodium. Pecans are rich in iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and have been found to be a good source of oleic acid. Although, pecans contain large amounts of fat, the fat is unsaturated. The unsaturated fatty acids may help lowering "bad" cholesterol levels, such as LDL.