Pecan can grow to a height of 150 feet with a seven-foot diameter.2-4 The deciduous, lanceolate leaves are alternate and odd-pinnately compound, and are typically made up of 9-17 leaflets.
Pecans have been part of human diet since the dawn of the civilization, and are among the most nourishing nuts, outshined only by macadamia nuts.
It has a good nutritional value as well as antioxidant, antidabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer properties. It is also effective against high cholesterol levels and against tuberculosis. Compared to other nuts, pecans have an especially high antioxidant content. Specifically, pecans contain bioactive compounds such as phenols, condensed tannins (e.g., proanthocyanidins, or PACs), hydrolyzable tannins (e.g., derivatives of gallic and ellagic acids), and tocopherol isomers that contribute to their antioxidant activity.
In addition to using the pecan nuts as a food source, the Kiowa tribe of the Great Plains area of the United States used decoctions of the tree bark to treat tuberculosis. The Comanche Nation used a poultice of pulverized pecan tree leaves as a topical treatment for ringworm-infected skin.
Pecans are good for improving cardiovascular health. Due to their unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and plant sterols, pecans lower cholesterol accumulations and help prevent heart attacks.
Pecans medicinal properties Part II
