Consuming Pecans May Delay Age-Related Neuron Degeneration

Nuts are good for you in many ways. A study conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell now indicates that eating a handful of pecans per day may stall the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration, potentially offering promise to people with diseases such as amyotropic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The benefit, it seems, stems from vitamin E, a natural antioxidant in pecans. According to the USDA, pecans have more antioxidants than any other tree nut and rank among the top 15 highest-antioxidant foods. In the study, mice fed a diet supplemented with pecans experienced a significant delay in the decline of motor function than did mice that were not given the nut. But there are more reasons to eat these nutritious nuts. They also provide more than 19 vitamins and minerals and are naturally cholesterol and sodium free.