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Giving thanks for pecans all year long
Texas Going without rich, sweet pecan pie this holiday may be unthinkable, so indulge. But after the feast, keep pecans in the diet--minus a sugary coating--advises Dr. Leo Lombardini, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station pecan researcher. "Pecans should not be associated only with Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays," Lombardini said. "We usually recommend just a couple of ounces per day. They are loaded with antioxidants. And they have vitamins, a lot of fiber and a lot of protein. So it is a very, very good food." Pecans have gotten a bad rap, he said, because they mingle so well with ingredients of dubious health benefit and because of their fat content. But science now makes a distinction between good and bad fats. Pecans have jolly good fat, Lombardini noted. "It is true that pecans, like many other nuts, are rich in fats. That makes a lot of people stay away from them. But this is the good category of fat. It's mainly monosaturated fatty acids," he said. "The two most important fatty acids that are present in pecans are oleic acid and linoleic acid. That is the same two that are present in olive oil." A good-health license to eat pecans will tickle consumers who may find tempting prices on the new crop this season, according to Jose Pena, Texas Cooperative Extension economist at Uvalde. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that almost 320 million pounds of pecans will be gathered in the nation's 15 most producing states. That's a whopping 55 percent increase over last year's crop. Texas growers are currently harvesting what likely will total 70 million pounds--about 49 percent more than last year--Pena added. People in the U.S. eat about half a pound of pecans per year, according to a 2007 University of Georgia study. To visualize the typical pecan snacker, according to the study, think "52-year-old, smart, affluent Southern woman." Lombardini said the pecan industry needs to maintain the traditional markets while expanding to new customers in order to increase consumption. "It's a very good food that you can include in your diet in cereals or salads or you name it," he said. "Other nut groups have been able to educate people to pretty much consume nuts all year round, and that is our objective here, too. We want to make sure that you can go to the store in March or April or in the summertime when it's definitely off season for fresh pecans but still get a good product." Though southerners are the most likely pecan eaters, Pena noted, many other countries are discovering the benefits of the nut. U.S. exports have bee n increasing and aren't likely to slow this season, he said. "A relatively weak dollar with pecan-importing countries such as Canada will make the nut less expensive and more attractive to them," Pena explained, "and early interest from China indicates further increases there." Lombardini said to find fresh pecans for a good price now through December, especially at farmers' markets. Buy enough for holiday pies but also stock up for the year. Pecans can be refrigerated for up to two years in the shell or one year if shelled, he said. They also freeze well because they have a low water content. ------CUTLINES------ 1.) A pecan orchard near Beaumont, Texas. Texas producers are raking in an estimated 70 million pounds between now and December. (Texas Agricultural Experiment Station photo by Jay Cockrell.) 2.) Texas producers are expecting about 70 million pounds of pecans this season, a 49 percent increase over last year. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Researchers say the nut's fat is healthy as well. (Texas Agricultural Experiment Station photo by Jay Cockrell.) Date: 11/13/07
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