From making your grandma's famous pecan cookies, to looking for the perfect pecan boxes, or munching on some as an afternoon snack, pecans are one of people's favorite kinds of nuts! After all, what's not to love about pecans?
Read below for ten fun facts we found about pecans, including their origins, health benefits, and more!
1. Pecans Aren't Actually A Nut -- They're A Fruit
Believe it or not, your favorite nut isn't actually a nut at all! Pecans are seeds inside of a "drupe," which is a fruit that is classified as having a pit that contains a seed inside of a harder outer shell.
So, pecans are technically a fruit. The more you know! Get all the fruits you need by shopping our pecan boxes, like the Priester's Signature Gift Box. This pecan box includes some of our most popular favorites, like praline pecans, frosted pecans, and more.
2. Where Did The Name "Pecan" Come From?
There is quite a lot of history behind the name "pecan." The word is Native American and has Algonquin origins dating back several centuries. "Pecan" translates to "nuts requiring a stone to crack," which is fitting because pecans require quite a bit of labor to be removed from their shells!
Not only can the original name "pecan" be credited to Native Americans, but out of the over 1,000 varieties of pecans that are grown today, most of them are named after Native American tribes, like Mohawk, Sioux, and Choctaw.
3. The United States Is The Leading Pecan Provider In The World!
Pecan trees are native to North America, which means that the US has more pecan trees than any other county. In fact, over 80% of the world's pecan supply comes from the US -- how cool is that?
4. Pecans In Space?
Pecans have been to the moon not just once, but twice! Astronauts have taken pecans with them on two separate Apollo space missions.
5. Pecan Trees Have A Lifespan Hundreds Of Years Long
Did you know that pecan trees can live for up to 300 years? Having a long lifespan is good, because pecan trees are alternate-year producing plants. This means that pecan trees only produce a large amount of pecans every two years. The year in between doesn't produce as much of a pecan crop.
Also, since it takes around 12 years for pecan trees to mature enough to begin producing pecans, it's a really good thing they live for as long as they do!
6. How Many Pecans Does It Take To Make A Pecan Pie?
To make your average pecan pie, it takes about 78 pecans. Next time we're making one of our delicious pecan pies, we're going to be sure to count for ourselves! Baking for yourself or a loved one? Be sure you have enough pecans on hand for that pie by shopping our Baking Ingredients section.
7. A Handful Of Pecans A Day Keeps The Doctors Away!
Pecans aren't just delicious, they have a lot of health benefits too. Pecans may be small, but they're mighty and packed with 19 different vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat. One of the minerals found in pecans is zinc, which is the mineral needed to help produce healthy levels of testosterone in men and women.
These small nuts are heart healthy, and eating them can reduce the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension. All of these health benefits make pecans one of the most nutritious of all nuts!
8. Pecans Are One Of The Most Recently Commercialized Nuts
While the history of pecans can be traced back to the early 16th century, pecans were not commercially grown until the 1880s, which is much later than other nuts! Nowadays, pecans aren't just sold salted and roasted, but they're turned into delicious baked goods as well. Try a selection of them with our Baker's Delight Box, which includes pecan cookies, mini pecan pies, and more sweets.
9. Georgia Peaches? More Like Georgia Pecans!
Georgia may be known for their peaches, but they also hold another important fruit title -- Albany, Georgia, is the pecan capital of America. Home to more than 600,000 pecan trees, Albany is a main producer of the pecan crop in America, which helps us to supply the world with a majority of the pecans everyone loves. Priester's headquarters is just over 150 miles from Albany, in the heart of the South.
10. July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day!
Now this is a holiday that needs to be celebrated!
Whether you're treating yourself, or looking for the perfect gift to give to family or friends to celebrate National Pecan Pie Day, Priester's Pecans has a delicious pecan pie waiting for you.
We know that pecan pie isn't for everyone, so check out our pecan candy selection, or other pecan baked goods to find the perfect pecan treat.
These ten fun facts about pecans are all pretty interesting, but there is one fact that matters most: Priester's Pecans has the best pecan baked goods, candies, and gifts around. Shop today to find what you're looking for!
