By: Cat Ebeling,
I remember back when I was a kid, pistachios were bright red! Back then, pistachios mostly came from the Middle East, and the harvesting methods left them with stains, so they were dyed (ugh!) a bright reddish-pink to cover up the stains. Fortunately, most pistachios today come from California, where they come to us for snacking in their natural (and more appetizing) tan color.
Pistachios have become elevated to almost everyone’s favorite snack. Did you know that pistachios are one of the most nutritious nuts you can eat? Just a small 1-ounce serving contains over 30 vitamins, minerals, and other powerful nutrients to help you burn fat, improve your cholesterol and heart health, balance out your blood sugar, and even improve your sex life!
Pistachios contain some of the highest amounts of protein and healthy fats of any nuts, so they are one of the best ways to snack, get tons of nutrients, keep your blood sugar low, and burn fat as well.
Pistachios rank high among nuts in terms of their highest antioxidant activity (ORAC ranking) among all foods. Antioxidants help prevent free radical damage, which enables healthy cell reproduction, slows down aging, and reduces the risk of chronic disease, among other benefits.
Pistachios have a unique nutrient and fatty acid profile. They are a good source of unsaturated fatty acids and numerous antioxidants, including γ-tocopherol, β-carotene, lutein, selenium, flavonoids, and phytoestrogens.
Compared to other popular nuts, pistachios are one of the richest sources of potassium, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, and lutein and zeaxanthin. And they contain a healthy amount of protein, fiber, and selenium (good for thyroid health) as well.
These little green nibbles are crunchy, salty, delicious, satisfying, low-carb, and good for you! Even though these yummy nuts have loads of (healthy) fat in them, they are one of the best fat-burning snacks you can find.
Here are FIVE good reasons to snack on pistachios—
- A great source of vitamin B6—B-vitamins are ‘water-soluble’ vitamins. That means that B-vitamins are easily washed out of your body, and you cannot store them.
B6 is essential for producing certain neurotransmitters that protect the brain and nervous system. What’s more, B6 helps banish depression and anxiety, increases your ability to break down and process fat cells, boosts your energy levels, improves premenstrual syndrome, and helps attention-deficit issues like ADD and ADHD.
B6 is also one of the most essential vitamins to lower homocysteine levels in the body. Homocysteine is an inflammatory substance the body produces that is a leading indicator of heart disease. High homocysteine = an increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.
- Improves Heart Health and Cholesterol Levels—While many of the other nut varieties have been well-studied for their health benefits, pistachios have been studied for heart health and cholesterol-lowering benefits.
This study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows a definite and significant reduction in the harmful LDL cholesterol with as little as one serving a day. However, the reduction in cholesterol actually appears to be ‘dose-dependent’. In other words, two servings of pistachios will slightly reduce cholesterol and other cardiac risk factors compared to 1 serving (1 serving = 10% of total daily calories)—an impressive 9-12% in LDL cholesterol.
High LDL is a significant risk factor for heart disease and is thought to result partly from increased triglycerides (which usually come from a high carbohydrate-high sugar diet. Additionally, pistachios contain high levels of antioxidants, which also help protect heart health and blood vessels.
- Diabetes Fighter—Eating pistachios has a beneficial effect on blood sugar, helping to keep blood sugar levels low, insulin levels low, and helping to prevent diabetes.
New research from Spain shows that people with prediabetes actually have a lower risk of developing diabetes if they eat pistachios regularly. The test subjects consumed 2 ounces of pistachios daily and had significant drops in both blood sugar and insulin levels. Some subjects also found that they had reduced inflammatory levels, likely due to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties in pistachios. As an added benefit, subjects also reported a decrease in their waist measurements.
Besides the fact that pistachios are very low in sugar, they also contain many bioactive compounds that affect the heart, blood sugar levels, and other measures of health.
Pistachios are also high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, so they help control your ‘munchies’ and satisfy you. Not only do pistachios curb your appetite, but they also give you some seriously healthy nutrients.
- Better Sex—A study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research looked at the effects of eating pistachios in 17 men who had erectile dysfunction (ED).
The men consumed approximately 3.5 ounces (about a cup) of pistachios daily for three weeks. The men were tested before and after the study using the International Index of Erectile Function score. After 3 weeks, the men’s IIEF scores increased significantly, and the subjects also reported they had increased sexual desire, pleasure, and satisfaction. So, do you want to add a little ‘spice’ to your life? Eat more pistachios!
- Fat Burning—Nuts contain lots of healthy fats, but they also help you burn fat! Pistachios are nuts that contain the highest amount of protein, which helps keep you feeling satiated and full.
Additionally, they contain generous amounts of healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil. This fat not only helps you feel satisfied, but it keeps blood sugar low—a key factor in appetite and the ‘munchies’. When blood sugar levels stay low, your body remains in a fat-burning mode, burning fat for energy instead of storing it, which is what happens when you consume carbohydrates or sugary foods.
What’s more, when you eat shelled pistachios, it takes a bit of work to crack those tasty babies open, so you tend to eat less.
Pistachios also contain generous amounts of antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the eyes from diseases related to aging, such as macular degeneration.
Additionally, pistachios are beneficial for your gut health. We often discuss “probiotics,” but there are also “prebiotics.” These are healthy, fiber-containing foods that feed your healthy gut bacteria, and pistachios happen to be one of those foods that feed your healthy gut bacteria and keep those critters happy!
A study from the University of Florida showed that people who ate 3 oz of pistachios for 19 days had improved levels of beneficial gut bacteria and an increase in beneficial butyrates, which are substances formed from healthy gut bacteria that help heal the gut lining—got the munchies? Pick up a bag of yummy, crunchy pistachios. Your body and your gut critters will thank you! Enjoy your pistachios and stay lean!
References
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2014/08/07/dc14-1431
https://www.medicaldaily.com/regularly-eating-pistachios-might-help-reduce-blood-sugar-levels-diabetes-risk-300780
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/pistachio-nutrition-benefits.html
https://draxe.com/pistachio-nutrition/?utm_campaign=Article-May-2016&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=pistachio