Frequently Asked Questions
What makes pistachios a smarter snack value?
What makes pistachios a smarter snack value?
A 1-oz serving of in-shell pistachios (about 30 grams or ½ cup), typically retails for about 35¢, a favorable comparison, price-wise, to popular salted snacks such as ready-to-eat popcorn. More importantly, however, you'll find that a handful of pistachios provides significant nutritional value and helps keep hunger satisfied.
You probably already know that junk snacks provide little nutritional value per calorie and can lead to obesity and a number of related illnesses. When you consider food on a dollar per nutrient basis, healthy choices are not necessarily more expensive. In fact, while you may think you're saving money by choosing a processed "junk" snack, in the long run the choice may be more expensive. Consider the following:
Healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts are more satiating - so you feel fuller, longer. Plus they provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed to stay healthy. Pistachios offer good nutritional value: one of the most nutrient-rich nuts, pistachios are also among the highest fiber nuts, and also offer the highest amounts of phytosterols and antioxidants. One of the lowest calorie, lowest fat nuts, pistachios are also fun to eat.
And for those people with moderately high cholesterol levels, studies show that a snack of pistachios, when used as a replacement for high-fat snacks, can cut both total and "bad" LDL cholesterol while offering cardioprotective nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and copper. Good news for heart health!
References
- Rainey CJ, Nyquist, Food Research Inc., Los Angeles. Unpublished original research 2006
- Wu et al, "Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States," J. Agric Food Chemi, 52 (12), 4026-4037
- Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd Edition, Roberta Duyff
- Institute of Medicine, 2002a. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. Washington , DC: National Academy Press
- American Chemical Society, "Sunflower seeds, pistachios among top nuts for lowering cholesterol," Dec. 7, 2005.
- Wu et al, "Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States," J. Agric Food Chemi, 52 (12), 4026-4037
- Institute of Medicine, 2004. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate." Washington DC
- "Trans fat share attack on Americans' hearts," USA Today, accessed online Feb. 23, 2007
- "Trans Fatty Acids," AmericanHeart.org, accessed online Mar. 5, 2007
- Sabate, J. (2003) "Nut consumption and body weight," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(3), 647S-650.
- Seeram NP, Aviram M, Zhang Y, Henning SM et al. Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-1422.
- Painter, J. The Pistachio Principle: Calorie Reduction Without Calorie Restriction. Weight Management Matters, 6(2),8.
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. (2007). USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. Beltsville, MD: USDA Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory.