Pistachios Health Benefits, Nutrition

 

The cashew family (Anacardiaceae), which includes pistachios, is historically the oldest nut that has been consumed for a very long time. They typically flourish in warm, dry regions. The Greek term "Pistakion," which means the green nut, gave pistachios their name. The green kernels are surrounded by thin, reddish-colored skin, and they have a firm, white covering around them.

Originating in the Middle East and Central Asia, pistachios. They travel in groups and are primarily pollinated by winds. Pistachios are 1.5 to 2 cm long and spherical. The hard shell that surrounds the green kernel tends to crack from one side without removing it.

Healthy fats included in pistachios help to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle. This lowers the risk of stroke and many other heart problems. In addition, it is known to increase the body's defenses against internal and external free radicals, enhance digestion, and generally improve our way of life in terms of health and beauty.

Antioxidants such as flavonoids, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, etc. are abundant in pistachios. B6, B1, protein, fiber, copper, and phosphorus are also present. Moreover, they are among the many nuts with low fat and calorie content. Pistachios, therefore, have a lot of health advantages. For instance, they aid in weight loss, encourage heart health, lower the risk of cancer, etc.

1-Improves Hair:

Pistachio helps to strengthen and shine hair. This is due to the high biotin content. Biotin prevents hair loss and nourishes damaged hair by enhancing the flexibility of the hair strands. Pistachios can be consumed as a snack or even used to create a pistachio hair mask. The latter cures split ends and offer thorough conditioning. Moreover, pistachios are a great source of fatty acids, which promote hair development.

2-Protects against Early Aging:

Pistachios nourish and moisturize the skin while also promoting suppleness. The elevated fatty acid concentration is the cause of the same. It also gets rid of dryness thanks to the high vitamin E content. This works as an anti-aging agent to help the skin look more youthful and refreshed naturally. Pistachio oil is excellent for massaging.

3-Has fewer Calories but more Protein:

Although eating nuts has many health advantages, they typically include a lot of calories. Pistachios, on the other hand, are some of the low-calorie nuts.

Pistachios have 159 calories per ounce (28 g), while pecans and walnuts have 185 and 196 calories, respectively. Pistachios are second only to almonds in terms of protein content, with protein making up roughly 14% of their total calories.

In addition, pistachios are abundant in important amino acids, which must be received through diet as your body cannot create them.

4-Enhances Mental Health:

White blood cells, or WBCs, are crucial for a healthy immune system and are produced in part by the bloodstream receiving oxygen from pistachio nutrition. With its high vitamin B6 level, it also increases the formation of hemoglobin and oxygen in the blood. The brain performs better and is healthier when there is more oxygen in the blood and greater blood flow.

5-Provides UV Defense:

Eating pistachios creates a natural sun shield around you that shields you from the sun's damaging UV rays. This is feasible because pistachios contain a lot of vitamin E. This protects cell membranes from free radical damage while also making the skin supple and smooth. Premature aging can also be avoided by using UV protection.

6-Reduces Cancer Risk

According to research, eating pistachios can help prevent cancer. The presence of antioxidants in the blood as well as the fact that pistachios are high in vitamin B6, which raises the WBC count in the blood, are the causes of this. White blood cells are powerful at fending off both cancer-causing agents as well as free radicals.

7-Pistachios Promote Better Sleep:

Melatonin is a hormone that the body releases to induce sleep, and pistachios are a good source of it. Our sleep-wake cycle and sleep quality are regulated by the sleep hormone melatonin. Hence, eating pistachios at night, two to three hours before bed, can enhance the quality of your sleep.

8-Encourage Healthy Gut Flora:

One serving of pistachios contains 3 g of fiber, making them high in fiber. Certain forms of fiber are digested by the beneficial bacteria in your stomach, acting as prebiotics, whereas most fiber passes through your digestive system largely undigested.

Short-chain fatty acids are produced as a result of the fiber's fermentation by gut bacteria, and they may have various health advantages, such as a lower chance of getting cancer, heart disease, and digestive disorders. The short-chain fatty acid butyrate may be the most advantageous.

9-Improves Immunological Function:

The body's ability to produce healthy red blood cells is another way that vitamin B6 helps to maintain lymph and spleen health. Also, it improves the body's ability to fight off free radicals and other diseases. Consuming pistachios helps the immune system function more effectively and fight infections while keeping the body guarded and protected.

10-May Decrease Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

There are several ways that pistachios can lower your risk of heart disease. Pistachios contain a lot of antioxidants and may also lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing your risk of heart disease.

Several research on pistachios and blood lipids involve substituting pistachios for a portion of the calories in a meal. In as many as 67% of these investigations, lower levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol were seen.

However, none of these investigations found that eating pistachios harmed blood cholesterol levels.

11-Safeguards the Nervous System:

Pistachios are a good source of vitamin B6, which aids in the production of myelin, which forms a barrier around the nerves to protect them and improve the operation of the nervous system. The presence of vitamin B6 also helps amines, the body's communication molecules, function properly. Consuming pistachios promotes the release of internal acids that ease anxiety.

12-May Improve the Health of Blood Vessels:

The inner lining of blood arteries is called the endothelium. It must functions properly since endothelial dysfunction raises the risk of developing heart disease. The widening or dilatation of blood arteries is known as vasodilation. Reduced vasodilation, which results in less blood flow and higher blood pressure, is a sign of endothelial dysfunction.

Nitric oxide is a substance that is crucial for vasodilation. It signals the endothelium's smooth cells to relax, which dilates blood arteries.

Pistachios, like other nuts, are a good source of L-arginine, an amino acid that the body uses to make nitric oxide. Hence, these little nuts might be crucial for promoting blood vessel health.

13-Enhances Eyesight:

Yeah, did you know that eating pistachios regularly can help you see better? This is because pistachios are a strong source of lutein and zeaxanthin due to their high content of carotenoids. These two antioxidants prevent macular degeneration, which develops with aging, and assists vision by sharpening eyesight.

14-Facilitates Weight Loss:

Pistachios contain a lot of fiber. Fiber consumption may aid in weight loss because it keeps you fuller for longer and reduces calorie intake, both of which promote weight loss

Also, eating pistachios raises your metabolic rate, which increases calorie expenditure. Pistachios' fiber content aids in facilitating easier digestion. A quicker metabolic rate is the outcome of improved digestion. They also include a lot of protein, which helps increase the body's energy and metabolic rate

They include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good. Because they are soluble, these fats do not build up in the body and result in weight gain. Pistachios, therefore, aid with weight loss.

Pistachios are low in calories and high in beneficial elements. Moreover, these attributes support weight loss. Moreover, they cause fullness, which aids in appetite suppression. All of the calories in pistachios cannot be absorbed by our systems. They can only take in 5% of the total calories, which results in a healthy loss of weight. You can naturally reduce weight by eating a few pistachio kernels as a snack or breakfast each day.

15-May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels:

Pistachios have a lower glycemic index than other nuts, thus they don't result in significant blood sugar rises despite having more carbohydrates than most nuts.

It may not come as a surprise that eating pistachios can support normal blood sugar levels.

Pistachio nuts are abundant in antioxidants, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds in addition to fiber and good fats, all of which are advantageous for blood sugar regulation.

This is yet another wonderful advantage of consistently eating pistachios. According to research, it benefits those with type 2 diabetes! As pistachios are a strong source of phosphorous, which aids in the breakdown of proteins so that they may be converted into amino acids, they are quite efficient in controlling blood sugar levels. Pistachio eating regularly can assist. It controls blood sugar levels.

16-Encourages Heart Health:

The pistachio is effective at lowering cholesterol. In turn, this aids in preventing cardiac disorders. Moreover, improper weight increase causes the majority of heart-related problems by placing pressure on the heart, which ultimately results in a stroke. Pistachios stop overeating and manage the body's calorie intake. it's recommended that eating a bowl of pistachios every morning lowers cholesterol and calorie intake. In addition, vitamin E, which is abundant in pistachios, is known to remove plaque and bad cholesterol from the body so that blood can flow freely.

Nutrition:

Pistachios are particularly nutrient-dense, having the following substances in a 1-ounce (oz), or 28-gram (g), serving of around 49 pistachios:

159 calories

Carbs  8 g 

Fiber  3 g 

Protein 6 g 

Fat: 13 g

Potassium 6% of the daily value  (DV)

 Phosphorus  11% of the DV 

Vitamin B6  28% of the DV 

Thiamin  21% of the DV 

Copper  41% of the DV

Manganese  15% of the DV 

Interestingly, one of tehe foods with the highest levels of vitamin B6 is pistachios.

Many body processes, including the control of blood sugar and the production of hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen in red blood cells, depend on vitamin B6.