Certified Organic Pecans

Paying a little extra for certified organic pecans really pays off.

The federal government carefully monitors certified organic food. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts a carefully supervised program of accreditation and certification for organic farms. When you buy certified organic pecans, you can be sure that the nuts you're taking home have been grown:

• Without inorganic fertilizers
• Without inorganic pesticides
• Without Genetic Modification

Of the products offered with the USDA designation of certified organic, foods will either be:

• Made with Organic Ingredients - Foods carrying this rating are made with 70 percent or more organic ingredients.
• USDA Organic - This is a slightly better rating. USDA Organic foods are made with 95 percent or more organic ingredients.
• 100 Percent Organic - All of the ingredients and procedures used to create the product are completely organic. This is the highest rating offered.

Organic farms are also earth friendly. Standard farming practices are a major contributor to water pollution. Water runoff from commercial farms carry huge amounts of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, depositing them into lakes, streams and aquifers used to supply nearby cities and towns. This chemical overload poisons delicate ecosystems and creates expensive problems for water treatment facilities.

When you buy organic, you support conservation efforts that encourage crop rotation, prudent water management practices that reduce runoff, recycling and (in many cases but not all) the humane treatment of animals.

Nuts are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are also a good source of heart healthy oils and antioxidants. When considering certified organic pecans, consider eating them raw or roasting them yourself. High heat can adversely affect the chemical composition of nuts. The oils and amino acids in nuts begin to break down under the high temperatures of commercial roasting and cause chemical changes that can convert some amino acids into carcinogens. To insure that the pecans, almonds, peanuts and other organic nuts you bring home are wholesome, buy and eat raw nuts, or buy raw nuts and roast them yourself.

Roasting nuts in the oven under low heat will add flavor while retaining all the goodness you've come to expect from a natural, organic product. Place nuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer, and keep the oven temperature at around 160 degrees Fahrenheit Turn the nuts once during the cooking and remove when lightly browned. Another advantage of buying raw nuts is that you can add salt to taste, a real plus for people who want to reduce sodium in their diet.

According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, Pecans are also a good dietary source of:

• Fiber
• Omega three fatty acids
• Protein
• Oleic acid (helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the body)
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B6
• Thiamin
• Copper
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Zinc

Certified pecans are a good organic choice for snacking or baking. If you're a dedicated pecan lover, you can even plant your own pecan tree and harvest an annual organic crop. If you live in hardiness zone 6 - 9 and need a tall tree to provide shade or offer some privacy, a pecan is an excellent choice that will reward you in the garden and in the kitchen.

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