Pecans: the Environment & You

Happy Earth Day! In celebration of Earth Day, I thought it would be a good idea to have a quick rundown on pecan trees, how they impact the environment and how they can impact your overall health; and maybe a few random tid-bits along the way.

In preparing to write this blog post, I did what we all do, I went to google. Honestly, I didn't think I would find that much but then I found a gold mine of information regarding a pecan trees carbon footprint. Granted, I it took me a couple of reads before I understood everything so I will try to keep it concise; but don't worry, I will cite my sources.

Pecans & the Environment:

1. Pecans are native to North America. They grow naturally in parts of central and Southern United States, as well as Mexico.

2. Pecans don't incur the shipping miles that tropical nuts do, due to their being grown locally. This cuts down on emissions.

3. Out of approximately 2 million pecan trees, "these trees wold remove about 560 million pounds of carbon dioxide from the region, roughly equivalent to 41,500 vehicles driving 15,000 miles per year."1

Pecans & You:

1. Pecans contain more antioxidants than any other tree nut.

2. Pecans contain 120 mg of magnesium per serving. Ever crave chocolate? Probably is your body's way of signaling that you need magnesium. Give a handful of pecans a try.

3. Pecans contain high amounts of vitamin B. Feeling an afternoon slump, try pecans for an all natural energy boost.

Pecan Tidbits:

1. Pecans are technically a drupe, a fruit with a single pit surrounded by a shell. 2

2. Pecans belong to the same family as the hickory and walnut trees.

3. The word pecan is from the Algonquin tribe and means "nut that requires a stone to crack."

Happy Earth Day!

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Sources:

1. Pecan South Magazine

2. Food Print