Pistachios grow on trees that take eight to ten years to mature before they can produce fruit. This small nut is rich in nutrients including vitamins A, C, and E, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamine. Its mineral content includes sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. It joins other nuts as a healthy addition to the diet.
Benefits and properties of pistachios
- Shelled pistachios are a great snack for those on a weight loss diet. It has been found that those who eat the shelled nut stop eating before those who eat shelled pistachios, consuming 41% fewer calories. A one-ounce serving of pistachios contains 162 calories and is known to have one of the lowest fat contents of all nuts.
- For heart health, it has been discovered that pistachios reduce LDL cholesterol levels. The presence of antioxidants, phytosterols, and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids also benefits the heart. These substances reduce free radicals that result from cellular metabolism and can cause heart disease and cancer.
- Pistachios are recommended for individuals with diabetes. Diabetes results from sugars forming inappropriate bonds with proteins, making them impossible for the body to absorb, a process known as glycation. The antioxidants in pistachios reduce the glycation process, resulting in diabetes control. Due to their high copper content, pistachios increase the body’s ability to absorb iron, thus reducing the risk of anemia.
- With a high content of anti-inflammatory vitamins A, K, and E, pistachios reduce the risk of diseases caused by inflammation. They are also rich in vitamin B6, essential for a healthy nervous system. It helps build the myelin that surrounds nerve fibers and aids in nerve cell communication and the transmission of nerve impulses. Pistachios have a high vitamin E content that protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, reduces the risk of skin diseases, and decreases the onset of spots, wrinkles, and other signs of premature skin aging.
Pistachios in the kitchen
Pistachios are a versatile food to add to many recipes and can be turned into nut milk. The small green nut nestled in a creamy white shell is a popular snack rich in many nutrients. Pistachios help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and diseases caused by inflammation, making it worthy of being a superfood.
Its culinary uses are wide: as roasted and salted nuts, as a garnish in sweet and savory dishes, and in European pâtés. Mediterranean and Eastern dishes include them in poultry sauces, stuffing recipes, and hash. Indian cuisine blends them into rice and vegetable dishes. Pistachios complement veal, pork, and poultry recipes, are popular in creams, and are favorites in ice cream.
They are also an essential ingredient in the famous Middle Eastern pastry known as baklava, which consists of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped pistachios, almonds, and cashews and sweetened with honey. Pistachios are crushed and sprinkled on salads and used as a topping for ice cream such as the Indian dessert kulfi or as milk. Pistachios can be used in cakes, bread, and candies.
