Health Benefits Of Pistachios –Why Are Pistachios A Pack Of Powerful Punch?

I absolutely love the flavour of Pistachios that I get to taste while having delicious bites of sweets, desserts and ice creams that are seasoned with the zest of these lovely nuts! Interestingly, I happened to come across some of these fascinating health benefits of pistachios which totally surprised me because I never knew these tiny nuts had such a great impact on our health.

What do these tasty nuts contain which makes them incredibly powerful? Before checking with some surprising pistachio benefits for health, let us have a quick glance at pistachio nutrition facts!

Pistachios Nutrition

Pistachios are a great source of proteins, fibres, healthy fats and antioxidants! Apart from these, one cup of pistachios which weighs around .. give us the following nutrients.

One cup of pistachios which is around 123 grams contains the following nutrients!

Vitamins	Grams	%DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets )
Vitamin A	322 IU	6%
Vitamin C	2.8 mg	5%
Vitamin E	2.4 mg	12%
Vitamin K	16.2 mcg	2%
Thiamin	1.0 mg	69%
Niacin	1.8 mg	9%
Riboflavin	0.2 mg	11%
Vitamin B6	1.6 mg	78%
Folate	61.5 mcg	15%
Pantothenic acid	0.6 mg	6%
Choline	87.8 mg
Betaine	1.0 mg
Minerals	Grams	%DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets)
Calcium	135 mg	14%
Iron	5.2 mg	29%
Magnesium	148 mg	37%
Phosphorous	597 mg	6%
Potassium	1282 mg	37%
Sodium	12.3 mg	1%
Zinc	2.8 mg	19%
Copper	1.6 mg	81%
Manganese	1.6 mg	78%
Selenium	11.4 mcg	16%
Other elements	Grams	%DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets)
Carbohyrdates	34.0 grams	11%
Proteins	26.3 grams	53%
Fats	56.5 grams	87%

Health Benefits Of Pistachios – How Are Pistachios Good For You?

One reason why we can’t get enough of Pistachios is their incredible taste. Munching on few of them as your favourite snack items benefit your overall health in numerous ways!

1. Are Pistachios Good For Weight Loss?

Putting up additional weight for us means letting in some unwanted calories into our body. Pistachios are low in calories which makes them the best snacking foods. Note that consuming just ounce (28 grams) gives you 160 calories. So, it is a must to keep a check on the quantity being consumed!

Moreover, pistachios are particularly high in proteins which keeps your tummy full for a long time. They keep you satiated and energized for prolonged periods so that you stay away from junk foods throughout the day.

Interestingly, much of the fat content from these nuts is not absorbed by our body. In fact, studies conducted on pistachios and their calorie content proved that they helped in shedding the fats among overweight people. (1)

What more? Keep a few pistachios handy and keep snacking on them at regular intervals as a great weight loss tip.

2. Pistachio Benefits For Gut Health

Not all bacteria are harmful. There is something called good bacteria which can enhance your gut health. Fortunately, you get to consume these beneficial bacteria through some foods.

Fermented products are usually the best source of beneficial bacteria but you can gain some of the good bacteria by consuming nuts too!

Studies have proved that nuts like pistachios and almonds can increase the number of gut bacteria. (2)

We cannot usually digest fibre much easily. But, one incredible fact about fibre content in pistachios is that if they act as prebiotics.

Prebiotics act as fertilizers for the growth of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in our gut!

3. Health Benefits Of Pistachios For Eye Health!

Our continuous habit of glaring at computer screens and our smartphones can land us in some serious troubles. Cataracts and macular degeneration are the most common eye disorders that can also lead to loss of vision.

A cataract occurs due to the onset of age and macular degeneration occurs due to the damage of macula or retina of the eye!

To prevent the risk of being prone to these eye disorders, you can start consuming pistachios! This benefits you because pistachios contain important antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin.

These major antioxidants block the blue light that is emitted from the digital devices from entering into our eyes which prevents you from being prone to eye disorders. (3)

4. Keep Your Blood Pressure In Control With Pistachios

Does a high blood pressure affect the functioning of only your heart? You will be surprised to know that apart from putting the extra pressure on blood vessels to pump the blood, high blood pressure also increases the risk of kidney problems and dementia.

Studies have proved that frequent consumption of pistachios (at least 1-2 servings per day) helps in reducing the systolic blood pressure (4) (the upper reading which represents the pressure in blood vessels when the heart beats).

A high blood pressure if left untreated results in the formation of blood clots in the arteries that connect the brain and eventually weakens them which stops a proper flow of blood to the heart.

Keeping a few pistachios handy and popping up a few of them every now and then is the smartest tip to keep your blood pressure in control.

5. Pistachios Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

If you have been consuming an excess of baked food items, your body has accumulated enough of trans fat. Not just this, frequent consumption of animal products like red meat and other dairy products that are full of fat increases the levels of saturated fats.

Trans fats and saturated fats increase the levels of your bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease the levels of good cholesterol (HDL).

Pistachios actually reverse this phenomenon! They decrease the levels of bad cholesterol and increase the levels of good cholesterol. Moreover, they reduce the number of triglycerides which are a kind of fat cells.

In fact, there was a study conducted on the health benefits of pistachios and its effect on lipid profile which proved that frequent consumption of these nuts benefits cholesterol levels. (5)

6. Pistachios Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels

Pistachios not only help those suffering from diabetes but they also help in preventing the risk of diabetes among people of different age groups.

This is because Pistachios have a lower glycemic index, which means that they do not cause any spikes in your blood glucose levels.

Consuming foods high in carbohydrates and a high glycemic index causes your blood glucose levels to increase because of a sudden a quick release of glucose into your blood.

Pistachios are high in carbohydrates but low in glycemic index. A low glycemic index results in the slower release of glucose into your blood which prevents the spikes of sugar levels.

A much important fact that has to be noted is that these nuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which reduce the blood glucose levels and improves your overall metabolism. (6)

7. Prevents The Risk Of Colon Cancer

Pistachios are high in fibre which reduces the risk of colon cancer. Consuming just 100 grams of pistachios gives you 10 grams of fibre.

One surprising fact that an Irish surgeon named Dr. Denis Burkitt observed was that Africans consumed a lot of fiber-rich foods whereas Americans relied much on processed foods!

This increased the risk of colon cancer among Americans whereas Africans were less susceptible to the disease since their diet is enriched with abundant fibre.

It is usually known that the passage of fibre through your system flushes cancer-causing compounds, thereby reducing the chance of colon cancer. (7)

8. Great Source Of Proteins

Pistachios are a great source of proteins. One cup of pistachios (which weighs around 123 grams) gives you 26.3 grams of proteins which helps you meet 53% of your daily protein requirement. (8)

Proteins can keep your hunger levels in control and keep you up for long periods. This decreases your appetite and helps you in losing weight.

Furthermore, consuming protein-rich foods increases your bone strength and decreases the risk of age-related bone disorders like osteoporosis and fractures.

A good intake of protein is also known to speed up your metabolism. When metabolism increases, calories are burnt easily which promotes a healthy weight loss.

Pistachio Benefits And Side Effects

Pistachios are undoubtedly the best snack items to revamp your health, but eating pistachios limitlessly shows a negative impact on your stomach, blood pressure levels and your weight.

1. Effects Of Pistachios On Your Stomach

Pistachios contain certain compounds called Fructans which are a type of carbohydrates. Fructans are also found in certain other foods like garlic, barley, broccoli, artichokes, and cabbage.

Consuming pistachios excessively causes certain side effects like diarrhea, bloating, constipation or flatulence.

2. Pistachios Can Cause A Sudden Weight Gain

It is a scientifically proven fact that pistachios can help in weight loss because of their rich protein content but consuming them without keeping a check on the quantity can result in a sudden increase in weight.

Just one cup of pistachios (which is around 123 grams) gives you around 702 calories. So, it is best advised to consume pistachios in relatively fewer quantities to make the best benefits for weight loss!

3. Consuming Salted Pistachios Increases Your Blood Pressure

Salted pistachios contain high levels of sodium. Otherwise, pistachios on their natural form contain only 2.8 mg of sodium.

Consuming sodium for those who have elevated blood pressure levels can worsen the condition, thereby increasing the chances of strokes!

Ensure that you consume pistachios in their natural form, rather than the seasoned ones.

Bottom Line

Pistachios are a great source of nutrients! They contain almost every nutrient that our body requires to stay healthy!

Consuming just 28 grams of pistachios assists in weight loss keeps your blood pressure and blood sugar in control, decreases the risk of colon cancer, enhances your gut health, improves your vision and reduces bad cholesterol!

But, exceeding the limits of consumption can cause gastrointestinal disorders, elevate your blood pressure levels and can also cause a sudden weight gain.

What more? Keep an ounce of them handy to make your snack time tasty and healthy!