Pistachios weren't grown in the United States until the 1970s, but now about 98 percent of the domestic crop is produced in California. Pistachios make an extraordinarily healthy snack, providing antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats, vitamin B6, thiamin and many essential minerals. Regular consumption of nuts---including pistachios---is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Definition
Pistachio nuts grow in grape-like clusters that ripen in late summer or early fall. As they ripen, the kernel inside the shell grows so large that it splits the shell open. Nutritional values provided are for 1 oz. of dry-roasted nuts, which equals about 49 kernels.
Basic Nutrition
One ounce of pistachios has 161 calories, 6 g of high-quality protein, 7.84 g of carbohydrates and 2.21 g of sugars and provides 3 g of dietary fiber, which represents 12 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) based on a 2000 calorie-a-day diet.
Fats
Even though an ounce of pistachios contains 13 g of total fat, only 1.6 g is saturated. About 10.7 g are the healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Essential fatty acids account for the remaining fat content. Just 1 oz. provides 0.074 g of omega-3 and 3.85 g of omega-6 fatty acids. Men gain 4.6 percent and women get 6.7 percent of the recommended intake of omega-3, but they supply a whopping 22.6 percent for men and 32 percent for women of the daily intake of omega-6.
Vitamins
Pistachios are an incredible source of vitamin B6 (0.4 mg, or 18 percent DV) and thiamin (0.2 mg, or 16 percent DV). They also provide 2 to 5 percent of the daily value of riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E, vitamin K and folate. You'll even get a small amount of vitamins C and A.
Minerals
Natural pistachios contain barely a trace of salt, but they provide all the other essential dietary minerals. They're an excellent source of manganese (0.4 mg, or 18 percent DV), copper (0.4 mg, or 19 percent) and phosphorus (137 mg, or 14 percent). You'll also gain 7 to 8 percent DV of iron, potassium and magnesium, as well as 3 percent DV of calcium.
Choline
One serving of pistachios contains 20.2 mg of choline, which represents 3.6 to 4.75 percent of the recommended intake for adults who are not pregnant or breast-feeding. This essential nutrient is needed for the structure of every cell in the body, to make the lipoproteins that transport fats through the blood and for the synthesis of the important neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Carotenoids and Phytosterols
Pistachios are the only nuts containing the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (340 mcg), according to information from pistachio producer Paramount Farms. These antioxidants are critical for healthy eyes. Lutein is responsible for the characteristic green color of pistachios.
Phytosterols are compounds in plants that are similar to cholesterol, but with one important difference: They block its absorption. Eating phytosterols lowers total cholesterol and reduces the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Eating 1.5 to 1.8 g a day of phytosterols reduces cholesterol absorption by 30 to 40 percent, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. One ounce of pistachios provides 0.06 g of phytosterols.
Member Comments