Sometimes, eating healthy and incorporating superfoods into your diet can be expensive and less than tasty. However, the health benefits of pecans make this nut a delicious way to advance your health and protect yourself from chronic illness. Pecans can help fight the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even reduce hair loss. Pecans are full of vitamins and minerals and possess more antioxidants than any other tree nut. They’re also helpful for weight loss and can give your metabolism the boost it needs to help you avoid snacking on unhealthy items like candy and cookies.

Get More Antioxidants

You’ve probably heard about the importance of antioxidants for overall health. Antioxidants promote a healthy body by decreasing oxidation or oxidative stress caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Free radicals are molecules containing oxygen that possess an imbalance of electrons. They can cause chemical reactions or disease because they easily attach to other components in the body. A study conducted by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry proved that pecans have more antioxidants than any other tree nut. The snack helps remove free radicals from the body and promotes optimal health. This superfood is also rich in calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron.

Get Healthy Hair

Hair is an important indicator of health. Though balding can be the result of your genes, conditions like anemia and malnutrition can exacerbate hair loss or delay hair growth. Pecans aid hair growth because they contain the amino acid L-arginine. Dermatologists frequently use the amino acid L-arginine topically to stop hair loss or encourage new growth. L-arginine helps increase the resilience of artery walls, making blood less likely to clot and encouraging blood to flow to the scalp. Pecans are also an excellent source of iron. Anemia develops when a person doesn’t have enough iron in their blood to support a balanced system. Iron deficiencies can lead to hair loss. A handful of pecans every day can help resolve anemia and promote a healthy scalp and hair growth.

Improve Immunity

Pecans contain lots of manganese, a mineral critical to the healthy function of the nerves and brain. These parts of the body require a balance of antioxidants to maintain good health. Manganese shields the brain and nerves from injury by roaming free radicals that cause infection and disease. The mineral can boost your immunity while lowering oxidative stress throughout the body.

Increase Anti-Inflammatory Compounds

Pecans are an excellent tree nut capable of providing a range of health benefits. The nut stores a wealth of magnesium inside its shell. Around the world, magnesium is widely relied upon as an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the source of a myriad of aches and pains including arthritis and heart disease. Adding a small handful of pecans to your diet can help prevent inflammation, but watch your serving size because pecans are easy to eat and contain a lot of calories.

Fight Cancer

Pecans are a fount of the oleic acid, a fatty acid beneficial in lowering the risk of breast cancer. The anti-proliferative components of these fatty acids delay the ability of DNA to attach to carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines and help prevent cancer from growing in the body. Pecans help reduce the chances of contracting colon cancer by adding fiber and bulk, keeping the gut healthy.

Stock Up On Flavonoids

Pecans are pretty impressive. We’ve already talked about the importance of a diet rich in antioxidants. Likewise, people who consume foods rich in flavonoids tend to be healthier. The next time you reach for a bag of chips, think again and consider replacing that processed snack with a handful of buttery pecans. Pecans help prevent chronic illnesses like cognitive malfunctions, diabetes, and heart disease.

Fight Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Studies have shown that people with diets rich in vitamin E are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Pecans are an excellent source of vitamin E and help protect you from cognitive decline by reducing the number of free radicals in your body. Oxidative stress can wreak havoc on your nerve system and cause inflammation throughout your body. A balanced diet with heaps of vitamin E can help prevent inflammation in the brain and thereby the development of cognitive disease.

Aid Weight Loss

Losing weight is a monumental and challenging task. Pecans can help you take off the pounds or maintain a healthy weight. This fantastic tree nut is rich with oleic acid, a beneficial and necessary fatty acid that helps you stay full. Pecans are also a good source of protein, containing about 3 grams per ounce. If you’re trying to lose weight, remember to weigh out or measure your pecans because they’re full of healthy fats and have a high caloric content. Don’t let that dissuade you from adding them to your diet; even a small amount will help keep you feeling full for an extended period.

Boost Metabolism and Energy

Pecans contain a wealth of copper, which is essential to 50 metabolic enzyme functions. As such, the nut can keep you from feeling sluggish and tired by helping your body create its energy source, ATP. Pecans are also rich in thiamine or vitamin B1, which helps support a healthy metabolism, proficient amounts of red blood cells, and an overall robust system. An active metabolism is necessary to maintain weight loss.

Defeat Constipation

Constipation affects all of us from time to time and is generally due to a diet lacking fiber and bulk. This lack prevents the gut and colon from performing their duties. Pecans are a tasty way to get fiber into your diet. They help keep the colon clean and can help prevent the onset of chronic illnesses such as colitis and constipation.