Pistachios. Well, upon reading or hearing this word, maybe the first thing that comes to mind is the word tasty. Well, it is true. This particular type of nut is really delicious. But not just that, what makes pistachio nuts even more famous is the health benefits it has. In fact, the health benefits of pistachios are all astounding and are all for the betterment of the health. Some of the health benefits of pistachios include the improvement of the digestion, protection against hyperextension and diabetes, weight management, improvement of the heart health, and more. If you want to know more about these and more, feel free to give this article a read.
Pistachios: What is this type of nut?
It is actually one of the oldest eatable nuts and is most commonly used in the whole wide world. Actually, pistachios are native to various regions in Asia, most specifically in Iraq and Iran. There is some archaeological evidence that shows the association of man and pistachios in as early as 6000 BC. Originally, they were cultivated in Syria, Iraq, and Iran, and then familiarized to the Romans only in the 100 AD. In today’s day and time, aside from Iran, Syria, and Iraq, pistachios are now part of the production of some other countries, including China, Turkey, Australia, and the United States, among others.
Moreover, pistachios belong to the plant family of Anacardiaceae, which is from the Pistacia genus. The pistachio tree takes 10-12 years before producing its first ever crop. These crops are drupe, where their fruits have large seeds in the center. These seeds are actually what we eat. Furthermore, the nuts are not seasonal, thus it is available all year round.
Nowadays, pistachios are available in a number of varieties, just like salted, sweetened, shelled, and unshelled. The shell of the nut is what protects it from any physical damage and from various infections. However, the sweetened and salted ones may not be that good due to its high sugar and sodium content. The best way to buy it is when it is still in unshelled form. This is mainly because they are still in their own natural form.
Nutritional Values of Pistachios
Here is the nutritional value of pistachios in 100 grams:
| Principle | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Energy | 557 Kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 27.97 grams | 21.5% |
| Protein | 20.60 grams | 37% |
| Total Fat | 44.44 grams | 148% |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligram | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 10.3 grams | 27% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 51 µg | 13% |
| Niacin | 1.3 milligrams | 8% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.520 milligrams | 10% |
| Pyridoxine | 1.7 milligrams | 131% |
| Riboflavin | 0.160 milligrams | 12% |
| Thiamin | 0.870 milligrams | 72.5% |
| Vitamin A | 553 IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 5 milligrams | 8% |
| Vitamin E-? | 22.60 milligrams | 150% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 milligrams | 0% |
| Potassium | 1025 milligrams | 22% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 107 milligrams | 11% |
| Copper | 1.3 milligrams | 144% |
| Iron | 4.15 milligrams | 52% |
| Magnesium | 121 milligrams | 30% |
| Manganese | 1.2 milligrams | 52% |
| Phosphorus | 376 milligrams | 54% |
| Selenium | 7 µg | 13% |
| Zinc | 2.20 milligrams | 20% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 332 µg | — |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 0 µg | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 0 µg | — |
Uses of Pistachios
There are a lot of ways that you can include pistachios in your diet, read on to know more:
- It may be a crunchy addition to yogurt and regular salads.
- You may add it in cream cheese spreads for crackers or sandwiches.
- Sprinkle chopped pistachios on ice cream.
- Add it to biscuits, bread, muffins, or cookies.
- Add it in brown rice to add more nutritional value and taste.
Health Benefits of Pistachios
Here are some of the most amazing health benefits of pistachios:
- Aids in the absorption of iron: the high levels of copper in pistachios are beneficial in the higher absorption of iron in the body. This may be beneficial in treating conditions like anemia.
- Helps in controlling diabetes: one of the best health benefits of pistachios is that they help in controlling diabetes. To those people who suffer from diabetes, the sugars that form inappropriately may bond with the protein, thus making them unusable.
- Rich antioxidant properties: the shell of the pistachios are also beneficial for the health, as it contains a considerable amount of antioxidants. These antioxidants are beneficial in neutralizing the free radicals, which forms in the body.
- Aids in the digestion: the rich dietary fiber content of pistachios are beneficial in the smooth digestion of the foods we take. In fact, one serving of about 1oz. or 30 grams of it may have approximately 3 grams of dietary fiber. This is actually more than enough for the digestive tract to work in its optimum capacity.
- Helps in preventing macular degeneration: the carotenoid antioxidant properties in pistachios, like zeaxanthin and lutein, are beneficial in reducing the risk of contracting any age-related eye conditions, like macular degeneration.
- Weight management: it is a good choice for those who want to diet. Evidence suggests that the pistachios are beneficial in lowering the calories, high unsaturated fats, low saturated fats, and high protein levels in the body.
- Good for the heart health: pistachio nuts are heart friendly. In fact, research suggests that the regular consumption of this nut may help in reducing the levels of the bad cholesterols in the body. Furthermore, the unsaturated fats, phytosterol, and antioxidants are also great for the promotion of healthy heart.
