Pistachios (Pistacia vera) are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, healthy fats, and antioxidants. They are nutrient-dense nuts with low fat content. Some research states that these nuts may aid weight loss, enhance gut flora, and regulate blood glucose levels. In this post, we have elaborated on the benefits of pistachio. We have also discussed their nutritional profile and the potential side effects they can cause. Following Bestechz!
Contents
Nutritional Value of Pistachio Nuts
The best way to consume pistachios is to purchase them unshelled. Unshelled pistachios are the least processed and therefore the healthiest of all variants. Pistachios are one of the few nuts that contain most of the nutrients the human body needs to maintain its overall health.
So let check out the nutritional facts of pistachio nuts, 1 ounce of pistachios, which is usually approximately 50 kernels or 28 grams, contains 159 calories. It contains 12.9 grams of fat, of which almost 88% are healthy, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Additionally, it also contains 7.7 grams of carbohydrates, 5.7 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber.
Consuming only one ounce of pistachios a day can provide the body with 25% of its daily value of vitamin B6, 20% of thiamine, and 20% of copper. Further, pistachios also contribute to the body’s daily required intake of potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and niacin.
Health Benefits
Adding nuts to your meal plan is a delicious and nutritious way to fuel your body. Nut consumption has been associated with certain health benefits.
Promotes Heart Health
Consumption of nuts has been associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. A small study funded by the American Pistachio Growers showed that a moderate-fat diet containing pistachios reduced blood pressure and vascular resistance during acute stress when compared with a typical Western diet.
Pistachios’ high phytosterol content also makes them a heart-healthy snack. Phytosterols come from plants, but because they have a similar structure to cholesterol, they compete with cholesterol to limit its absorption
Pistachio good for losing weight
Eating pistachios can not only help in maintaining weight balance, it can also help in losing weight. Instead of consuming unhealthy snacks that contain high amounts of sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, it is better to consume pistachios.
Pistachio is a healthy snack as it contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, protein, and fiber. Therefore, it can keep your hunger controlled and helps in losing weight, and it also makes you feel full for a longer period of time. This can prevent you from overeating.
Pistachio is great to supplement for those who are following weight-loss diets. Further, research conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine showed the positive effect pistachios can have on maintaining weight.
The subjects of the study substituted snacks like dairy products, potato chips, candy bars, and variants of buttered and microwaved popcorn with pistachios accounting for 20% of their total calorie intake for three weeks, and did not gain body weight. In fact, their levels of bad cholesterol reduced and levels of good cholesterol increased.
Dietary Fiber
One of the other health benefits of pistachios is that it is a good source of dietary fiber, which helps in the smooth digestion of food. A serving of about 1 ounce or 30 grams of pistachios contains about 3 grams of dietary fiber, more than enough to get your digestive tracts working at optimum capacity.
Aphrodisiac Properties
According to research conducted by Aldemir et al (2011), pistachios greatly influence sexual vitality in men. Studies have shown that those men who had a daily intake of about 100 grams of these nuts for three weeks improved their erectile function by around 50 percent. This was confirmed by ultrasound scans of blood flow in the penis.
Antioxidant Properties
Even the shells of pistachios are found to contain a considerable amount of antioxidants. Researchers from Tarbiat Modarres University, in Tehran, Iran were able to successfully identify and extract these antioxidants to be added to other foods. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that form in the body after cellular metabolism and can cause conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Defense Against Diabetes
One of the final health benefits of pistachios is that they function in controlling diabetes. In people suffering from diabetes, the sugars form inappropriate bonds with proteins and make them unusable. This process is known as glycation. The antioxidants present in them help in reducing the process of glycation and thus can help in controlling diabetes.
Pistachio Side-Effects & Allergies
While shelled and unshelled pistachios are healthy, sweetened or salted pistachios may be detrimental because of the artificial additives present in the product. Their high sodium or sugar content may undo the natural health benefits of the pistachio. Doctors and nutritionists also caution people with a sensitivity towards a compound called fructans to refrain from consuming pistachios.
Although fructans are not dangerous, they can irritate the digestive system and cause gastrointestinal problems like bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea or constipation. The degree of discomfort depends on the number of nuts consumed. Higher the consumption, higher the discomfort.
