[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5903]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          NATIONAL PECAN MONTH

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, April is ``National Pecan Month.'' 
One of the nation's important agricultural products, pecans are the 
only major tree nut that can be considered a true American nut. Pecans 
were first discovered growing in North America and parts of Mexico in 
the 1600's and were given the name ``pecan'' based on the Native 
American word of Algonquin origin, meaning ``all nuts requiring a stone 
to crack.'' Pecans were favored by pre-colonial residents and served as 
a major source of food because they were accessible to waterways and 
easier to shell than other North American nut species.
  Today, pecans are grown in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, 
Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North 
Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas and are enjoyed around the 
world as the perfect nut. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture 
statistics, over 346 million pounds of pecans were produced in the U.S. 
in 1999. In fact, the majority of the world's pecan production, 80 
percent, comes from the U.S.
  While valued for their wonderful aroma and flavor, scientific 
research has begun to recently reveal an even more important reason to 
make pecans part of an everyday, healthy diet. According to researchers 
at leading academic institutions in this country, pecans have many of 
the important nutritional attributes that health professionals 
recommend. Not only are nutrition researchers finding that pecans can 
lower blood cholesterol levels when incorporated into the diet, food 
scientists have also found that pecans are a concentrated source of 
plant sterols, which are widely touted for their cholesterol-lowering 
ability. Numerous studies have also shown that phytochemicals like 
those found in pecans act as antioxidants, which can have a protective 
effect against many diseases.
  Since 90 percent of the fat in pecans are of the heart-healthy 
unsaturated variety, they fit right into the government's latest U.S. 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued in May 2000. The latest dietary 
guidelines from the American Heart Association, AHA, also bode well for 
pecan lovers. The new AHA guidelines specifically advise Americans to 
limit their intake of saturated fat and to ``substitute grains and 
unsaturated fatty acids from fish, vegetables, legumes and nuts'' in 
its place.
  In addition to their cholesterol-lowering properties and heart-
healthy fats, pecans contain more than 19 important vitamins and 
minerals, including vitamins A and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, 
phosphorus, potassium, zinc and several B vitamins, and are a good 
source of fiber. Pecans are part of the protein group in the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid, making them a 
nutritious alternative for Americans who are vegetarians or striving to 
eat a more plant-based diet. Pecans, which are naturally sodium-free, 
are also ideal for anyone who wishes to restrict their sodium intake.
  Pecans, a true all-American nut, deserve to be recognized. Not only 
for their long history of providing sustenance and enjoyment, but for 
the health benefits they can provide to Americans--especially those 
striving to eat a healthier diet. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
celebrating ``National Pecan Month.''

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