Are pecans really a health food?
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed new health claims for pecans and other nuts particularly with respect to helping reduce the incidence of heart disease. That means a heart-healthy diet can and probably should, include good-tasting foods such as pecans. The FDA’s decision allows this wording in promotional material for pecans and other nuts. “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” There have been numerous studies that have demonstrated that some nut varieties can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Included in these recent studies were several indicating that pecans in particular are very good at lowering cholesterol levels, especially LDL cholesterol, also known as the bad cholesterol. So what does this mean to the consumer? Well, it means that pecans are not only a great tasting addition to yo
