We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the health benefits of nuts: they are full of vitamins and minerals and contain the good fats we need to stay healthy. But it’s always the same nuts being highlighted: almonds and walnuts. What about pistachios? What health benefits do these little green goodies hold? Turns out, a lot! Pistachios are teeming with of health benefits.

Next time you’re munching down on some pistachios consider what you’re consuming: protein, fibre, antioxidants and over 30 different vitamins and minerals. A one-ounce serving includes about 49 kernels 160 calories and an abundance of health benefits. Pistachios are rich in potassium, which helps to regulate the body's fluid balance, phosphorus, which helps build bones and teeth and magnesium, an important element in the conversion of the body's energy. Pistachios are also high in vitamin B6, which aids in protein metabolism and absorption as well as thiamine, which enhances energy and promotes normal appetite. Seriously, it’s pretty amazing the amount of health benefits packed into those little green gems.

Pistachios are full of antioxidants, which are great for helping to prevent cell damage. In a recent study, pistachios were placed in the group with the highest antioxidant capacity, as compared to over 100 different foods. In fact on a per serving basis, pistachios have more antioxidants than everyone’s antioxidant go-to food, green tea. Pistachios are particularly high in lutetin and zeaxanthin, which are very power antioxidants that are critical to eye health. These nutrients help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in adults over 65. Lutein is also very effective in preventing cholesterol from clogging up arteries. Having clogged arteries greatly increases your likelihood of suffering from a heart attack, stroke, and even death.


And if all that weren’t enough to turn you into a Pistachio enthusiast, there’s still more. Consider the fibre content of pistachios. A single serving of pistachios has three grams of fibre that’s more than most snacks that tout a “high-fibre” label. In fact you’d need to eat more than three plums to get the same amount of fibre in one serving of pistachios. Fibre is what helps you feel full so you will be less likely to overeat. Fibre also helps to reduce the risk for some chronic diseases. For instance, fibre prevents constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulitis. Fibre is also thought to help prevent some cancers such as colon and breast cancer.

What should one look for when choosing pistachios? Look for the nuts that are split open at one end. Unopened shells are an indicator of immaturity. The greener the nutmeat, the better the flavour. Pistachios are available year-round in many forms including raw, roasted, salted, unsalted, shelled and unshelled. Avoid the dyed red or white pistachios. The green hue of the actual nut is natural and comes from chlorophyll. It’s good for you. To keep pistachios fresh and crunchy, store them in an airtight container to prevent them from drawing moisture from the air and becoming soggy. If you keep them in the refrigerator or freezer, you can store them for as long as a year. To restore pistachios that have lost their crispness, toast them in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and they’ll be as good as new.

The nice thing about pistachios is that they can be eaten anywhere. They come in their own naturally convenient packaging. They can also be tossed into salads to add a nice crunchy twist. They can also be ground up and used all sorts of recipes, sweet and savory.

What an amazing nut. It’s (relatively) low in calories and high in fibre. It’s overflowing with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They taste good and are easy to find year round. When looking for your next super snack, the one go-to snack that you know will fill you with all sorts of important health benefits, look no further than the pistachio. The pistachio is the nut that is chock full of healthy goodness.