Pistachio (pista) health benefits and nutrition facts
Pistachio has a revered place among nuts. Partly because one has to work hard to relish it. We can all vouch for the joy that comes after extracting the kernel out of its shell and popping it in our mouths. An audible crunch is followed by all the flavour and saltiness. This bright green nut is also a treasure trove of health benefits and its culinary uses are plenty. Let's take a close look at the pistachio.
What is pistachio?
Pistachio is a nut of a tree that originated in the Central Asian regions of Afghanistan and present-day Iran. Humans have known the pistachio since 6000 BC. Since ancient times, we knew about the medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities of this bright green nut.
The nut was widely cultivated during the time of the ancient Persian Empire and its popularity slowly spread to the west. The Assyrian ruler the Queen of Sheba who lived in the 10 century BC was known to have monopolised pistachio cultivation for her exclusive use.
The word "pistachio" comes from the ancient Greek term pistákion, which can be translated to "the green nut."
When the pistachios are ripe, cultivators shake the tree to collect the fallen nuts. They are then washed and dried in hot air to remove any traces of moisture.
The pistachio is ensconced within a hard, beige-coloured shell. The kernel have to be manually extracted by prying the shells open.
These delectable nuts have many culinary uses, but they are mostly eaten whole either fresh or toasted. They have a unique flavour that is savoury and nutty.
Pistachios are used prominently in desserts like baklava, biscotti, and ice cream. Like almond, cashew and walnut, pistachios can also be whipped into a delicious, bright green nut butter that can be slathered on toasts.
In India, it's called pista in Hindi and all other regional languages. It's commonly used in the preparation of dishes such as kheer, halwa, falooda, kulfi and barfi.
Pistachio nutrition facts
100 grams of pistachios contain the following nutrients:
Nutrients
| Measure (Daily Value)
|
Calories
| 562
|
Total fat
| 45 gm (68%)
|
Saturated fat
| 6 gm (30%)
|
Cholesterol
| 0 mg
|
Sodium
| 1 mg
|
Potassium
| 1,025 mg (29%)
|
Total carbohydrates
| 28 gm (9%)
|
Dietary fibre
| 10 gm (40%)
|
Sugar
| 8 gm
|
Protein
| 20 gm (40%)
|
Vitamin C
| 9%
|
Calcium
| 10%
|
Vitamin B6
| 85%
|
Cobalamin
| 0%
|
Magnesium
| 30%
|
Health benefits of pistachios
Pistachio is a nutritious nut with heart-healthy fatty acids, minerals, micronutrients, proteins, dietary fibre and a host of beneficial phytochemicals.
It gets its bright green and purple colour from its lutein and anthocyanin content.
Pistachio is the richest source of potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, tocopherol, vitamin K, phytosterol, xanthophyll carotenoids, vitamin 6 and thiamin among all the n uts. This makes it an excellent food for heart health.
Pistachios also have excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties. When used as a part of a weight-loss diet, these low-fat nuts can promote satiety and boost metabolism.
Here are some of the health benefits of pistachios:
- Promotes heart health
- Promotes weight loss
- Rich in antioxidants
- Rich in vitamin B6
- Good for eyes
- Reduces PMS symptoms
- Boosts immune system
- Good for brain health
- Reduces blood sugar
- Lowers cholesterol
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves digestive health
Improves heart health: Pistachios are among the best foods for heart health owing to their great antioxidant profile, rich potassium content, anti-inflammatory properties and anti-diabetic effects. These nuts lower blood pressure, improve vascular health, prevent the formation of plaque, and reduce cholesterol and the hardening of the arteries. Since they are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, they keep the heart healthy and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Good for the eyes: Eating pistachios daily can improve your eyesight, especially if you spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Screens emit a blue light that can weaken eyesight over time. Pistachios contain antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein, which protects the eyes against the damage done by blue light and also fight age-related vision loss.
Can help promote weight loss: Although nuts are known to be calorie-dense and high-fat foods, pistachios can be consumed on a weight loss diet for a variety of reasons. No studies have tied pistachio consumption to weight gain. Similarly, pistachio consumption has been tied to a reduction in body mass index. Adding these nuts to your diet can increase satiety and prevent overeating. Furthermore, nuts like pistachios contain polyunsaturated fatty acids that produce more thermogenic effects and torch off more body fat.
References:
1. Paterniti, I., Impellizzeri, D., Cordaro, M., Siracusa, R., Bisignano, C., Gugliandolo, E., Carughi, A., Esposito, E., Mandalari, G., & Cuzzocrea, S. (2017). The Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of Pistachios (Pistacia vera L.) In Vitro and In Vivo. Nutrients, 9(8), 915. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080915
2. US Department of Agriculture
3.Hernández-Alonso, P., Bulló, M., & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2016). Pistachios for Health: What Do We Know About This Multifaceted Nut?. Nutrition today, 51(3), 133–138. https://doi.org/10.1097/NT.0000000000000160
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