Walnuts and pecans are both nuts that are energy-dense and rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. You can incorporate them into your diet in many ways, ranging from using them in baked goods to snacking on them roasted or salted. Both nuts have high levels of protein, healthy fats and fiber.
Calorie Breakdown
Pecans are more energy-dense than walnuts, with 691 calories per 100 g, or 1 cup of shelled halves, while walnuts have 654 calories for the same amount. Although similar in carbohydrate content, pecans have more fiber than walnuts, with 9 g to walnuts' 6 g. Pecans also have more fat, containing roughly 71 g, while walnuts have 65 g. However, walnuts have higher protein content than pecans, with 15 g to pecans' 9 g.
Fats
Although pecans have more fat than walnuts, both nuts contain different types of unsaturated fats, which are considered to be healthier than saturated fats and may help lower levels of LDL cholesterol. About 60 percent of the fats in pecans are monounsaturated fats, and another 30 percent are polyunsaturated fats. Walnuts contain mostly polyunsaturated fats, including omega-6 and omega-3 types, and are especially high in alpha lineolic acid.
Vitamins
Walnuts and pecans both contain a wide variety of essential vitamins. One cup of shelled halves, or 100 g, of walnuts or pecans contains approximately 1 mg each of niacin and vitamin C. Walnuts have more folates than pecans, containing 98 mcg, while the same amount of pecans contains 22 mcg. Pecans have more vitamin A, with 56 international units to walnuts' 20 IU per 100 g. Pecans also have 1.4 mg of vitamin E, which is twice the amount in walnuts.
Minerals
Both walnuts and pecans are rich sources of minerals. Walnuts have slightly more of many of the minerals, containing 98 mg of calcium, 158 mg of magnesium, 441 mg of potassium, and 1.6 mg of copper in 100 g, while pecans have 70 mg of calcium, 121 mg of magnesium, 410 mg of potassium and 1.2 mg of copper. However, pecans have more zinc and manganese, with 4.5 mg of each to walnuts' 3.1 mg and 3.4 mg, respectively.
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