The closest relative of a walnut is Carya pecan (Carya illinoinensis) the tree of nut family. Its native land is Northern America, besides two wild sorts of pecan can be found in China. The tree of pecan lives till 400-500 years, reaching 60-meter height. Long before arrival of Europeans on the South-American continent, its fruits - stone-fruits were used in food by Indians. Its name is translated as "nut that breaks up by a stone". The oblong fruits have external similarity with olives, therefore sometimes pecan is called "olive nut". From walnut it differs with more oily structure.
People started to cultivate pecan only in the first half of 19th century, and nowadays, we know about 100 sorts of this plant. In food pecan is used both in fried, and in dried way, in combination with other nuts, and as an independent dish. It gives the special soft taste to fruit and vegetable dishes, and also is used in confectionery products. As an auxiliary substance it is used for excitation of appetite, in case of too low level of vitamins A, B, C, E and for increased fatigue.
100g contain: Fat – 71.2 g Proteins – 9.2 g Carbohydrates – 12.3 g Mineral substances – 1.6 g Vitamins – 3.1mg Energy – 736 kcal