Pistachio is an edible nut that is popular across the world. They are actually a drupe, a large seed centered in the heart of the pistachio fruit. This delicious nut grows in the center of a hard shell that protects the nut from damage and infection.
You can find these nuts all the time as they grow throughout the year. Even you can enjoy these nuts in various forms, such as sweetened or salted and shelled or unshelled. These nuts are also famous for being enjoyed with dessert, cake or some other food.
But do you know this nut provides you hundred of benefits like other nuts besides taste? Although you need to take some precautions before taking this nut, it has some mind-blowing benefits for your overall health.
Here You also will come to know about pistachio benefits for men and women. Is pistachio increase belly fat? Is it good for sleep? Let’s learn in detail pistachio benefits and side effects with all the answers.
Pistachios Nutritional Value :
Pistachios are a type of nut that are rich in nutrients and have a unique flavor. Here is a breakdown of their nutritional value per 100 grams:
Calories: 557 Protein: 20.5 grams Fat: 44.3 grams Carbohydrates: 30.1 grams Fiber: 10.3 grams Sugar: 5.8 grams
In terms of vitamins and minerals, pistachios are a good source of:
- Vitamin B6: 1.5 milligrams (mg)
- Thiamine: 0.7 mg
- Phosphorus: 678 mg
- Magnesium: 121 mg
- Copper: 1.7 mg
- Manganese: 2.2 mg
Pistachios also contain antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds, such as carotenoids and phytosterols. These compounds can help support overall health by reducing inflammation, improving heart health, and potentially reducing the risk of certain diseases.
Pistachio benefits and side effects:
1.Great food for reducing heart-related problem:
“There is a scientific research that suggests pistachio nutrition supports a strong heart and healthy blood vessels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes that tree nuts, including pistachios, can be part of a heart-healthy diet: U.S.” (Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2009)
If you include pistachio in your regular diet, you can benefit in five ways for your heart.
- May lower total cholesterol levels in your body, including LDL and HDL.
- Decrease oxidized-LDL through increasing antioxidants in the blood
- Provide beneficial anti-inflammatory properties
- Reduce acute stress by lowering blood pressure and heart rate
- peripheral vascular responses are also reduced
2.May help in weight management:
To maintain your energy level between the meals, the controlled amount of pistachio can be your regular food for weight management. This nut has fiber, lean protein, and healthy fat.
Every one ounce of nuts gives you 3 grams of fiber, 6.0 grams of protein, and 14.5 gm of heart-healthy fat to control your weight.
“Adding 250calories of pistachio to your existing diet will not cause weight gain.” Freisling , H, Noh,H, SLIMANI, N, Chajes, V, May,A, M,..peeters, P,,H,,N,Mancini..F..R (2017)
Besides, protein also keeps you full, helping with weight loss. This nut also has a good amount of protein.
3.Keep control of blood sugar level:
Pistachio is low in carbohydrates as every 100 gm only provides 28gm of carbohydrates that help lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It also promotes a healthier metabolic profile in people with prediabetes. “According to a new research, people who snacked on pistachio experienced lower blood sugar level immediately following a meal.” (European journal of clinical nutrition)
4.Pistachio benefit for men:
For functioning a man’s body organ properly, it is essential proper blood flow. Erectile function is one of the problems in men’s bodies. It is the inability to keep an erection firm enough for having sexual intercourse. Many men experience this problem from stress.
The researcher investigated the effect of pistachio on erectile function. Those who ate 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of pistachios daily for 3 weeks saw a positive result as improved erectile function parameters without any side effects.
5.Pistachio and belly fat:
Are you worried about gaining belly fat for consuming too many pistachios? Don’t feel afraid; because eating nuts are rather beneficial for reducing belly fat. If you eat the right amount of it as your body needs, your body will not gain bodyweight.
“To date, however, epidemiological studies have failed to find any association between nut or pistachio consumption and either weight gain or an increased risk of obesity.” – PubMed
Pistachio is packed with healthy nutrients and good saturated fat, including vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and high in carotenoids. There is a myth that pistachio will make you fat, but the reality is pistachio contains healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, which are great for good health.
6.Pistachio benefits for sleep:
American pistachios contain significant melatonin amounts higher than most fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and seeds. (Researchers Dr. Jack Losso and Millicent Yeboah-Awudzi at Louisiana State University in partnership with American Pistachio Growers)
Melatonin is a hormone that controls daily sleep cycles regulating the body’s internal biological clock produced by the pineal gland. People who have insomnia are prescribed melatonin supplements extracted from raw and roasted pistachios grown in the United States. If you take pistachio regularly as a natural food option, you can sleep a sound sleep but remember that roasting pistachios did not affect the melatonin.
7.Pistachio benefits in pregnancy:
One serving of pistachio can fulfill your daily requirements of iron, calcium, folate, and potassium when pregnant. All these nutrients are helpful for your baby in so many ways.
- Protein can help to build a baby’s muscle and tissue.
- Vitamin E, Vitamin A, carotenes, and polyphenolic compounds are helpful for the immunity system.
- The copper content in pistachios helps maintain red blood count during pregnancy.
- Omega-3 fatty acids in pistachios facilitate the baby’s brain development.
Pistachios also help to prevent diseases like liver, jaundice, and anemia.
Elsewhere, pistachio Contains quite a few B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, Vitamin B6, and folate for fetal development.
Pistachio side effects:
- Can cause an allergy:
Pistachio has an allergic-cause chemical called anacardic acid that can cause an allergic reaction to your body consuming too much of it.
- Pistachio can be fatal:
If pistachio is not harvested correctly, it can be the reason for many diseases in some parts of the world. Aflatoxin is a chemical for making a cancerous mold, has been found in some mistreated pistachios.
- Problem with digestive issue:
Pistachio can also cause digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, pain in the abdomen, and flatulence with the presence of fructans in pistachios.
- It can also be harmful in pregnancy:
Roasted pistachio contains more sodium than raw ones and can increase blood pressure. So, pregnant women should avoid eating roasting nuts. Even heat-inducing properties in pistachio also can harm the health of a pregnant woman.
As a whole, we can say, now you know well pistachio benefits and side effects. If you consume too much of anything, it can cause discomfort to your health because the higher the consumption, the higher the discomfort.
So, try to consume nuts, maintaining a proper balance to eliminate their adverse effects on your body. Before adding pistachio to your regular diet, it is advisable to consult with any specialists.
References:
- Kendall CWC, et al. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65(6):696-702.
- Hernandez LM, et al. FASEB J. 2012;26:1b396.