Are pistachios good for you?
Pistachios, those little greenish nuts, have been a popular food since the Bronze Age and were said to grow in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Surprisingly, they are actually not nuts at all. They’re seeds! Pistachios grow on trees and come from fruit. However, like nuts, they contain protein, fiber, antioxidants and several essential nutrients.
Pistachios are popular among people who follow a Mediterranean diet, adherents to which have some of the highest life expectancies in the world. The nuts are a staple in many dishes from the Middle East, where pistachios are native and still most prominently produced.
Pistachios are in the cashew family, so do be aware of nut allergies when incorporating them into your diet. Be careful when introducing pistachios to young children, and follow your healthcare provider’s advice on when and how to incorporate nuts into your child’s diet.
Why you should eat more pistachios
Pistachios are packed with vitamins and protein
Pistachios are a fantastic addition to your healthy diet. According to Healthline, they have many nutritional benefits. A serving of pistachios is an ounce, about a handful, or about 50 nuts. One serving contains about 150 calories and several vitamins, including potassium, phosphorus, Vitamin B6, thiamine, copper and manganese and is also a whopping six grams of protein. The fat content is 90% unsaturated fat. This one serving also gives you a good source of fiber, which helps your gut produce healthy bacteria.
Pistachios help regulate blood sugar levels
Foods with these high levels of vitamins and minerals are touted as being good for regulating blood sugar levels, which can decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The amino acids which help with the protein content increase blood flow, which helps with a variety of conditions including a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
Pistachios are full of antioxidants
Pistachios are also an antioxidant-rich food. This means that it may help your body keep disease at bay, including cancer. The particular antioxidants in pistachios are linked to healthy eyes and lower instances of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
Pistachios can help with weight management
While some people balk at the calorie and fat content in nuts like pistachios, they are one of the most efficient foods in terms of their ratio of high protein to relatively low calories, making it a good food for weight management. These nuts are energy-dense so you feel full from the fat and fiber and have energy from the calories and protein. A plus of the fats in nuts is that studies have shown that the gut does not absorb them, which means you don’t retain the fat in your body once you digest them. This is one of the main ways nuts can be a healthy snack for someone concerned about maintaining a healthy weight.
A tip to get the most health benefits out of pistachios is to buy them still in the shell. In-shell pistachios usually don't have as much added salt as ones sold shelled. The act of shelling each individual nut helps you slow down your eating, allowing your body to alert you when you're getting full. Plus, the refuse from the shells gives you a visual hint that you've eaten enough. There's something about keeping your hands busy while you're eating that slows the body down enough to appreciate and enjoy eating a food like pistachios instead of mindlessly snacking on it while you're doing something else.
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