Introduction

The health benefits of nuts have been demonstrated in hundreds of studies over several decades. But among nuts, pistachios are often overlooked, despite being one of the most nutritious varieties.

Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie, lowest fat, and highest fiber nuts, and contain more than 30 different vitamins, minerals and beneficial phytonutrients. They are an “excellent” and “good” source of many essential nutrients. They also provide a high amount of total antioxidants and are the only nut to contain significant amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. Pistachios also offer a high satiety level and as an in-shell snack, have a slower consumption time.

Pistachios can be incorporated into diets of people who are interested in losing weight, improving diet quality, reducing risk for type 2 diabetes and much more.

Here, we review some of the major nutritional attributes of pistachios:

GO PISTACHIO! For Nutrient Density

Based on the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese, containing 20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) per 28-gram edible portion (about 49 kernels). In addition, pistachios are a good source—containing 10% or more of the DV—of dietary fiber, protein, thiamin and phosphorus.

Pistachios are the only nut to contain significant amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoid antioxidants that have been associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65. As a source of unsaturated fat, 55% of the fat in pistachios is monounsaturated and 32% is polyunsaturated, and they are naturally free of trans fats.

According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, individuals are encouraged to select nutrient dense foods. The Guidelines define nutrient-dense foods as those that provide substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and relatively few calories. Pistachios are a nutrient-dense food and can be incorporated into diets that adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

GO PISTACHIO! For Heart Health

Hundreds of studies over several decades have proven that nuts are heart-healthy, and have the ability to help lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels while potentially raising HDL levels. The evidence is so convincing that pistachios, along with many other tree nuts, were included in the FDA’s qualified health claim, which states:

“Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Studies show that a few ounces of pistachios a day can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while boosting HDL (good) cholesterol, providing a two-pronged approach to reducing risk for heart disease. Clinical studies have shown that pistachios lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels by up to 12%, which corresponds to a 24% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. In addition, among snack nuts, pistachios have the highest content of phytosterols, a plant sterol shown to reduce cholesterol absorption from other foods.

GO PISTACHIO! For Antioxidants

Oxidative stress is implicated in many diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease and is also involved in the aging process. Dietary antioxidants help to reduce oxidative damage to molecules such as proteins, lipids, and DNA. Pistachios contain more than 10 different beneficial antioxidants—including resveratrol, lutein, quercetin and naringenin—each of which may offer unique health benefits to help stave off chronic diseases.

According to the USDA ORAC database, pistachios have a total antioxidant capacity of 7983 Trolox Equivalents per/100 grams, making them among the highest in antioxidants among all snack nuts. For comparison, pistachios provide six times the antioxidant capacity of green tea; twice that of red wine and strawberries; 50% more than blackberries and 20% more than blueberries, based on an ounce-per-ounce basis.