What are Walnuts and Pecans? Are they any different? Are they the same? Are Walnuts better than Pecans? Is it the other way around? What are their nutrients? So many questions. But do not worry. We are here to solve the mystery of Walnuts and Pecans. Let’s compare Walnuts vs Pecans.

First of all, Pecans and Walnuts are not the same things. Many are unable to tell the difference. But they are considerably different from one another. Let’s see how they are different.

How are Walnuts and Pecans different?

There are several aspects of the difference. How they look and how they taste are different from each other.

You might mistake Walnuts and Pecans looking almost similar. But there is a difference in how they look. Actually Walnuts are larger than Pecans. And they are broader as well. Pecans look darker than Walnuts in color.
When it comes to taste, they have distinctive flavors. You all know that Walnuts are not essentially sweet. They are bitter to most taste buds. Pecans are slightly sweeter. Have you ever wondered why they roast Walnuts but not the Pecans? It is to kill the bitter taste.

That is how you can tell them apart from outer appearance and the taste. But the most important difference is the nutrients and health benefits.

Walnuts and Pecans compared in their benefits

We have to look into the basic nutrients in the beginning. Both Walnuts and Pecans are known to be really healthy and nutritious. Many dietitians recommend these nuts to their customers. Even famous athletes, actors, and actresses.

• Both Walnuts and Pecans are rich with Calories, Fats, Carbs (Carbohydrates) and Fiber.
• Walnuts are known to possess minerals such as Calcium and Phosphorus which helps to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis. And it also contains Manganese and Magnesium which acts as brain boosters and antioxidants.
• Pecans have more Zinc in them, which helps to maintain healthy eyesight and is also good for skin, nail, and hair. It is also good for your sexual and reproductive health (helps with the formation of germ cells and improves sperm quality).
• Both Walnuts and Pecans contain rich amounts of Magnesium and Manganese. But Walnuts contain a considerably larger amount of those nutrients. Usually, those are known to be lacking in typical American cuisine.
• Omega 3 is a type of fatty acid that is a healthy addition to the daily meals and their nutrient intake. And it is available in both Walnuts and Pecans. But when compared with one another Pecans possess only about half the amount of Omega 3 Walnuts to have.
• In addition, Walnuts have calories, dietary fibres, proteins, fats, and vitamins including B1 and B6.
• And they are well-known antioxidants. But Walnuts have that property more.

However, both Walnuts and Pecans are healthy nuts. Daily intake of them will make your body and internal organs healthier.

(Source: Which is healthier pecans or walnuts)

What diseases do they fight against?

All the above-mentioned nutrients are good for the human body in general. But there are a number of diseases that are scientifically proven to have an effect on being cured through varieties of nuts such as Walnuts and Pecans.

This means not only the specific nut but also the extracts of it. Extracts such as leaves and oil are known to have similar effects to the nuts. They are effective in reducing chronic diseases which have become a huge problem in the modern world. People tend to inherit diseases from their ancestors more than anything.

• Walnuts and Pecans have a remarkable effect on reducing inflammation as well. Inflammation is known to be the cause of many diseases that may last a lifetime.
• Studies show that regular consumption of Walnuts has a great impact on reducing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. And those are the #1 cause of deaths around the world nowadays. 
• Cancer reduction is also a health benefit of Walnuts and Pecans. They have a positive effect on prostate cancers, colon cancers, and also renal cancers. These nuts are used in a number of treatment patterns for certain types of cancers as well. But always, prevention is better than the cure.
• Several studies have also proven the effect Walnuts have on reducing Diabetes risk. It has the same effect on Alzheimer and brain aging as well.
• In the case of Pecans, they have no health benefits as much as Walnuts. But it is scientifically known that they can help to reduce LDL Cholesterol levels in the human body. And Pecans are in general, healthy dietary companions.

Nuts and Diets

With all of the words fighting against chronic diseases, it is no question that maintaining the correct weight or the ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) is the key to everything. Eradicating obesity will reduce the risk of chronic illnesses in 80% or more. And many people are already eating their meals according to diet plans. Some seek online help, the help of the search engines and some seek professional help. Dietitians have more work than ever these days. And in order to lower the carbs and other fatty elements in a meal, many dietitians have taken up the path of recommending nuts into the daily meals. Several types of nuts such as Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds, and even Peanuts have been in demand more than ever. This is because these can be a tasty replacement of veggies and diet pills. And nuts are way more healthier and natural than diet pills.

So adding Walnuts and Pecans to your diet would not do any harm.
(Source: Pecan vs Walnut – Health impact and Nutrition Comparison)

Do we have a winner? Walnuts or Pecans?

For this, actually we can’t come to a certain conclusion. It is because both Walnuts and Pecans are nutritious in their own way. They are both recommended for different purposes. But Pecans can actually cost more due to their lack of availability. But this might change. So it’s up to you whether it is Walnuts or Pecans.

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