Pecans are Heart-Healthy
Since 2012, select pecans have been designated as heart-healthy when enjoyed as part of a healthy eating pattern by the American Heart Association®‘s Heart-Check Certification Program. Unroasted and unsalted pecan halves and pieces carry the Heart-Check mark to inform consumers that they meet the program’s nutritional guidelines including criteria for saturated fat and sodium.
The American Heart Association®‘s Heart-Check Food Certification Program helps grocery shoppers quickly and easily identify heart-healthy foods that can be incorporated into a sensible eating pattern. In order to be certified, nuts must meet certain nutritional requirements for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and beneficial nutrients. Today, the red and white heart-healthy symbol has become the one of the most trusted and well-known nutrition icons representing heart-healthy eating.
Cholesterol-Lowering Pecans
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged and approved the following qualified health claim: Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Heart-Check certification does not apply to ‘cholesterol-lowering’ claim.
