Q: I’m expecting, and I love pecans. Is it okay for my baby if I regularly eat pecans?
A: Not only is it okay, new research out of the United Kingdom suggests that children of women who get enough vitamin E rich foods during pregnancy (a nutrient that Georgia pecans are rich in) have less risk of developing asthma or wheezing by the time they are about to enter kindergarten than those who don’t get enough vitamin E. In fact, women getting the least amount of vitamin E during their pregnancies were five times more likely to have children with asthma symptoms by the age of 5 and three times more likely to have children who experienced wheezing, compared to women who got the most vitamin E.
Unlike vitamin supplements, which contain a form of vitamin E known as alpha-tocopherol, pecans and other nuts are rich in gamma-tocopherol, a powerful antioxidant. One ounce of Georgia pecans provides almost 7 milligrams of gamma-tocopherol, making them a top source of vitamin E in the diet. The recommended intake of vitamin E is about 20 milligrams a day. The researchers suggest that vitamin E may help reduce asthma by having a positive effect on the developing immune system of the fetus.
