Here Are 10 Wonderful Health Benefits of Pistachios

Although pistachios are called nuts, they're classified as seeds. Health benefits of pistachios include better eye, gut, and heart health.

If you like eating nuts for a snack, try pistachios. These seeds of the pistachio tree are nutritious as well as tasty. Read on to know more about pistachios and their health benefits.

Although pistachios are called nuts, they’re classified as seeds. They are typically green, have a tinge of sweetness, and are packed with nutrition.

The pistachio plant has been a source of nutrition for thousands of years. Different varieties of pistachio are grown in many regions around the world. But the Pistacia vera is currently the most important commercial pistachio tree grown for its edible seed. In this article, we’ll look at the Pistacia vera's health benefits.

Pistachio trees usually bear fruit five to seven years after planting. But there have been instances where a tree may take 15 years to bear fruits. Although they bear fruit yearly, the harvest is larger every second year. The pistachio trees bear maximum fruit when they are around 20 years old.

A single tree typically gives out around 50 kilograms of nuts every two years, which translates to roughly 50,000 nuts.

Pistachios are packed with several macronutrients critical for maintaining your bodily functions, such as proteins, fiber, and carbohydrates. They’re also a great source of many micronutrients that regulate essential physiological activities like minerals and vitamins.

Pistachios are also a great source of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. 100 grams of pistachios contain:

• Calories: 560
• Carbohydrates: 27.2 grams
• Fiber: 10.6 grams
• Protein: 20.2 grams
• Fat: 45.3 grams
• Vitamin B6: 0.052 milligrams
• Vitamin C: 5.6 milligrams
• Thiamin: 0.87 milligrams
• Riboflavin: 0.16 milligrams
• Niacin: 1.3 milligram
• Pantothenic acid: 0.52 milligrams
• Vitamin A: 26 micrograms
• Vitamin B6: 1.7 milligrams
• Folate: 51 micrograms
• Beta-carotene: 305 micrograms
• Lutein + Zeaxanthin: 2900 micrograms
• Tocopherol, gamma: 20.4 milligrams
• Tocotrienol, gamma: 1.67 milligrams
• Vitamin E: 2.86 milligrams
• Calcium: 105 milligrams
• Iron: 3.92 milligrams
• Magnesium: 121 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 490 milligrams
• Potassium: 1020 milligrams 
• Sodium: 1 milligram
• Zinc: 2.2 milligrams
• Copper: 1.3 milligrams
• Manganese: 1.2 milligrams
• Selenium: 7 micrograms
• Fluoride: 3.4 micrograms

Pistachios also contain several essential amino acids your body cannot produce, such as histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. This nutrient-rich seed comes with several health benefits.

Pistachio has one of the lowest calorie contents among all the nuts. You can eat pistachios without having to worry as much about your calorie intake. For example, one ounce of pistachios contains only 159 calories.

On the other hand, the same quantity of macadamia nuts and pecans contain 204 and 196 calories, respectively. That said, all nuts' calorie content is higher than other food sources.

Antioxidants protect your cells against the harmful effects of free radicals produced when your body breaks down food. Free radicals are also formed due to tobacco smoke and by coming into contact with radiation from the sun or X-rays.

Free radicals are known causes of many severe health conditions such as heart diseases and cancer.

Pistachios are rich in several molecules that exhibit antioxidant properties, including vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The antioxidant content of pistachios is higher than most other nuts.

A study that was done over four weeks suggested that people who ate pistachios once or twice a day had higher levels of lutein and γ-tocopherol (pronounced as gamma-tocopherol) as compared to those who did not eat pistachios for the duration of the study.

The lutein and zeaxanthin content in pistachios is also important for your eyes. Many studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin lower the risk of eye diseases. Research has also shown that these molecules reduce the risk of cataracts.

Lutein and zeaxanthin lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that blurs your central vision. This typically occurs due to damage to the macula, the part of your eye that regulates your linear vision. The macula is part of the light-sensitive tissue at the rear end of the eye called the retina.

Pistachios have a high fiber content that promotes a healthy digestive system and aids the passage of nutrients through your digestive tract. An ounce of pistachios (roughly 50 kernels) contains three grams of fiber.

As fiber moves through the digestive system, it is digested by the good bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract and acts as a prebiotic. This aids the growth of good bacteria necessary for your gut health, as they convert some of the fiber into short-chain fatty acids.

These fatty acids have many health benefits, such as lowering the risk of digestive disorders and heart diseases. Butyrate is one such fatty acid that is a major source for colonocytes.

Colonocytes (epithelial cells of the colon) are responsible for stabilizing the organ functions by regulating the colonic microbiome. An enriching energy source for these colonocytes leads to a healthy colon. Studies have shown that eating pistachios increases butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut.

An ounce of pistachios contains roughly six grams of protein, which is more than 20% of the weight of the nut. Eating pistachios contributes immensely to your daily protein needs.

If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, pistachios can be an ideal protein source. They contain many essential amino acids that your body gets from food sources. These amino acids are central to the formation of proteins in your body. So, pistachios are an excellent direct and indirect protein source.

Pistachios contribute to improved heart health. A study carried out in 2016 concluded that these nuts have many cardiovascular benefits. The study revealed that pistachios may lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels, which could help avoid many cardiovascular conditions.

Another study done in 2015 indicated that eating pistachios regularly can reduce blood pressure in people who don’t have type-2 diabetes. This study also found that pistachios are the most effective of all the nuts in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Pistachios don’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels, as they have a low glycemic index. Other contents of pistachios, such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds, also regulate blood sugar levels.

A study indicated that eating pistachios can lead to a considerable increase in glucose and insulin metabolism in prediabetic patients. The study also found that pistachios decrease insulin resistance and enhance resilience to known cardiovascular risk factors.

A separate study carried out in 2020 found that pistachios may lead to a major reduction in fasting blood glucose levels.

The rich fiber content of pistachios may also reduce the risks linked to colon cancer. A study done in 2017 found that several bioactive compounds in pistachio, like B vitamins, γ-tocopherol, polyphenols, and dietary fiber, help reduce the risk of colon cancer.

These compounds may help prevent the growth of cancerous cells in the colon. The study found that even low levels of pistachios led to a considerable reduction in DNA damage due to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). According to the study, even roasted pistachios show similar chemopreventive effects.

Pistachios are rich in vitamin B6; a single helping of pistachios provides 37% of your daily recommended portion of this vitamin. The vitamin B6 coenzyme is critical in more than 100 enzyme reactions in your body.

One of the essential physiological functions of the coenzyme is the metabolism of proteins. Pyridoxal 5’ phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5’ phosphate (PMP) are the main coenzyme forms of vitamin B6.

Your body needs both PLP and PMP to metabolize amino acids (that are the building blocks of proteins), while PLP is also involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids.

Pistachios are comparatively low in calorie content and are rich in fiber and proteins. The low calorie content makes it a good option when you’re trying to reduce your food intake. On the other hand, the high fiber and protein content of pistachios fill your stomach and keep your food intake in check.

A study carried out over 24 weeks showed that people who took 20% of their caloric intake every day from pistachios lost 0.6 inches (1.5 centimeters) from their waistlines as compared to those who did not eat pistachios.

Another study found that the participants who ate 53 grams of pistachios as a snack every day reported two times the reduction in their body mass as compared to those who ate 56 grams of pretzels every day.

Pistachios are rich in essential micro and macronutrients such as proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.

Their health benefits include lower blood sugar, improved vision, and enhanced heart and gut health. Pistachios also make for a tasty snack.