30 | HealthLinksSC.com Photo courtesy of River Street Sweets. A PENCHANT FOR PRALINES Charlestonians can likely agree on one thing: They’ve sampled at least one praline in their lifetime. The buttery, crunchy treat made with butter, cream, sugar and pecans is a staple confection in the South, especially around the holidays. River Street Sweets in downtown Charleston and North Charleston has been making pecans for 50 years and is one of the leading producers of pralines in the country, according to co-owner Jennifer Strickland. Only the best Georgia-grown mammoth pecan halves go into the company’s World-Famous Pralines. The company sells approximately 130,000 pounds, or more than a million single pralines, every year. When enjoyed in moderation, pralines are an indulgence that even those eating light can’t resist. “We have many raving fans who tell us they order our pralines and ration them as a splurge,” she said. PECANS By the Numbers Pecans are not native to South Carolina. They likely arrived in the state through commerce trade, planted by colonists during the late 1600s.*** River Street Sweets uses approximately 75,000 POUNDS of Georgia-grown pecans annually to make its World-Famous Pralines.**** One handful of pecans, approximately 19 PECAN HALVES, is a good source of fiber, thiamin, zinc, copper and manganese.* Pecans are low in carbs – about 4 GRAMS – and high in dietary fiber – about 3 GRAMS – per serving.* Pecans are naturally GLUTEN-FREE. ** The United States produces more than 300 MILLION pounds of pecans each year, approximately 80% of the pecans supplied for worldwide consumption.* *American Pecan Council, americanpecan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/APC_FACT_SHEET.pdf. **americanpecan.com/pecans-101/ ***Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center, hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/faq-about-pecan-production-in-the-home-garden/ ****Information courtesy of Jennifer Strickland, co-owner, River Street Sweets.
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