Pecans and Human Health: Distinctive Benefits of an American Nut

Pecans are a tree nut native to America with a rich content of unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, fiber, and a diverse array of bioactive components, including polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols. This review summarizes variations in the phenolic composition of pecans from various parts of the world based on cultivar, maturity stage, postharvest storage, and processing. Additionally, the review delves into the bio-accessibility and bioavailability of bioactive components from pecans and their potential influence on diet quality, body weight, satiety, cardiometabolic, brain and gut health. Data from human clinical trials suggest that replacing foods/snacks with pecans improves overall diet quality and lipid profiles. However, inconsistent effects are observed on vascular function, glycemia, and inflammation. Body weight changes after pecan intake are reported as neutral, with promising results on satiety peptides and appetite regulation. Cognition and gut health are emerging areas of research with very limited data from both human and preclinical models, warranting further investigation. Overall, the current literature supports the cardiometabolic benefits of pecans within healthy dietary patterns. Future research should focus on well-controlled studies targeting at-risk populations to understand mechanistic endpoints such as metabolomics, microbiome, and vascular function assessments to substantiate the role of pecans in dietary guidance.