Pecans are buttery nuts that are indigenous to North America and the oil comes from the cold-compression of these nuts. Pecans actually have a long history, as they were widely used by the Native American tribes from the central and southern regions of the US. They incorporated pecans into their natural remedies to help prevent and treat various ailments.

Not only that, pure virgin pecan oil is considered to be really healthy because it contains high amounts of monounsaturated fats and low amounts of saturated fats, which can be used for cooking. In fact, even olive oil contains higher amounts of saturated fats (at 13.5%) as compared to pecan oil (9.5%), making pecan oil an undoubtedly healthier version for cooking!

But besides all those, pecan organic oil contains a lot more other benefits and uses. Read on to find out more!

Health Benefits of Pecan Organic Oil:

1. Contributes to a Healthy Heart

Pecans and other tree nuts have been widely known as cholesterol-lowering foods as they are believed to be able to lower “bad” cholesterol levels. Besides that, they are also widely known to reduce systolic blood pressure, due to the presence of magnesium and anti-inflammatory properties in pecans.

For example, a 2001 study published in The Journal of Nutrition notes how a pecan-enriched diet helped to decrease both serum total and LDL cholesterol as well as triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL cholesterol levels. In other words, pecan nuts helped to reduce the “bad” cholesterol levels that are capable of causing cardiovascular diseases while augmenting the “good” cholesterol levels.

As such, nuts such as pecans which are rich in monounsaturated fats may be recommended as part of a prescribed cholesterol-lowering diet of patients suffering from high cholesterol levels or in a habitual diet of healthy individuals.

Thus, you can incorporate pecan oil in your culinary dishes to support the health of your coronary arteries and to prevent any cardiovascular diseases or stroke brought about by a high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

2. For the Skin

Pecan oil is also great for the skin, and you can take it internally or apply it externally on the skin. This is because pecan oil contains numerous beneficial compounds like vitamins A and E which help to brighten up dull skin and to combat free radicals as well as oxidative stress. As such, this helps to prevent signs of premature skin ageing, like wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and loose and sagging skin.

As such, it undoubtedly helps to maintain your skin’s youthful radiance and gives it the healthy glow that you so desire! Not only that, pecan oil contains zinc, which helps to guard it against infections, therefore ensuring that you would have a smooth complexion at all times.

Not only that, these properties are also antioxidants, so when you take pecan oil internally, these antioxidants help to fight off free radical damage and oxidative stress within your bodies, therefore helping to keep your body healthy and toxin-free. This will also contribute to a much healthier skin because more often than not, skin problems are partly caused by an unhealthy internal body system.

3. Strengthens Bone and Teeth Health

Due to the presence of phosphorus and zinc, along with other beneficial nutrients in the oil, pecan oil greatly helps to strengthen the bones and teeth in our body, thus helping to prevent and treat osteoporosis as well as brittle bones as it can help increase bone mass.

4. Enhances Your Immune System

As alluded to earlier, the pecan nut is rich with antioxidants, so it is without a doubt that the oil will also be rich in antioxidants. It is even more imperative nowadays, with the high levels of stress and pollution surrounding urban and city life, to consume more antioxidant-rich foods so as to counteract oxidative damage.

A 2011 study published in The Journal of Nutrition notes how consumption of pecans actually increased the amount of antioxidants in the bloodstream 24 hours after consumption! This creates a buildup effect to prevent and combat damages done by free radicals in the body.

When this happens, your immune system will undoubtedly be boosted, and diseases such as cancer which are brought about by damages in cells or cell mutations will be mitigated and their risks reduced. As such, having pecan organic oil in your households is a worthy investment!

5. Strengthens Hair Health

Pecan oil is also known to be able to strengthen your hair as it smoothens out your hair and thickens it up, thus preventing your hair from being too dry and brittle. It also contains iron and other useful nutrients that are known to treat and prevent male pattern baldness as it strengthens the hair follicles and allows them to absorb the nutrients easily.

As such, incorporating pecan oil into your haircare routine will help to produce a much healthier and radiant hair!

How to Use Pecan Organic Oil?

Pecan oil is a highly versatile oil as it is able to be used in a variety of ways. Firstly, you can actually incorporate it into your culinary dishes! Simply drizzle a little bit of the oil into your salads or hummus. Not only does it contain numerous health benefits, but the nutty flavor will enhance the taste of your dishes, making it more delicious!

Additionally, pecan oil can be used to replace olive oil whilst cooking and even baking, since it is a much healthier option and has a smoke point of 470 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as it stays below that temperature, the oil will not oxidise.

Not only that, you can simply consume pecan organic oil just like that as well. Simply add a drop of the oil into a glass of water, ensure proper dilution by stirring completely and drink it.

Alternatively, to reap the oil’s effects on the skin, you can even try applying it directly onto the skin. Since it is regarded as a carrier oil, it is mild enough to be applied directly onto the skin. You can even use the oil to dilute essential oils so as to reduce the strong intensity of the aroma of the essential oils, or add a few drops of the oil into your daily facial or body lotions.

Because of its beneficial effects on the hair, you can also apply it directly onto your hair or scalp, leaving it for a few hours or overnight. You can also add coconut oil with pecan oil for a hair treatment, or even add a few drops of the oil into your daily haircare products to incorporate it as part of your daily cleansing routine.

Safety Precautions:

• Individuals who are allergic to pecans should avoid using pecan organic oil at all.

• Perform a skin patch test first on a non-sensitive area of your skin before topical application onto desired parts of your skin to ensure you do not develop any allergic or sensitive reactions to it.

• If you are looking to use pecan organic oil internally, be sure to purchase the top-grade, high-quality and 100% pure pecan organic oil from a reliable and reputable seller.

• If you have pre-existing medical conditions or are under prescription drugs by your doctor, please consult your doctor before looking to ingest pecan oil internally or incorporating it into your diet, as the oil can possibly interact with your prescribed drugs.

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult your doctor first before using pecan organic oil.

References:

Rajaram S, et al., “A monounsaturated fatty acid-rich pecan-enriched diet favorably alters the serum lipid profile of healthy men and women” The Journal of Nutrition (2001); 131(9)

Hudthagosol C, et al., “Pecans acutely increase plasma postprandial antioxidant capacity and catechins and decrease LDL oxidation in humans”, The Journal of Nutrition (2011); 141(1)