Pistachio nuts, like other nuts, are a rich source of heart-healthy fats and a number of vitamins and minerals. Adding these nuts as a daily snack can positively affect your heart health and cholesterol numbers. Pistachio nuts are native to the Middle East and may be found in a number of authentic dishes. Use pistachio nuts in your own diet as a snack, sprinkled over cereal and salads, or as an ingredient in baked goods.
Calories and Macronutrients
A 1-oz. serving of pistachios is equivalent to approximately 49 kernels. In this amount you get 159 calories and 13 g of fat. The majority of the fat in pistachio nuts is heart-healthy unsaturated varieties, with only 2 g of saturated fat. One ounce of pistachio nuts provides just 8 g of carbohydrates, with 3 g coming from fiber, which improves digestion and may help lower cholesterol. Pistachios also provide 6 g of protein per ounce.
Minerals
Pistachios provide 30 mg of calcium and 139 mg of phosphorus per 1-oz. serving. The nuts also offer 1.1 mg of iron, .4 mg of copper and 34 mg of manganese. With 139 mg of phosphorus and 291 mg of potassium, pistachio nuts are a considered a rich-source of these minerals.
Vitamins
Pistachios provide a number of vitamins to support your health. A 1-oz. serving provides 118 IU of vitamin A, and 1.6 mg of vitamin C. Pistachios provide several of the B complex of vitamins. Most notably, pistachios provide .5 mg of vitamin B6, which amounts to about 24 percent of the daily value, and .2 mg of thiamin, which amounts to 16 percent of the daily value. The nuts also contain some niacin, folate and pantothenic acid.
Phytosterols and Antioxidants
Pistachios are source of compounds called phytosterols, which mimic the structure and function of bodily cholesterol. Phytosterols work to prevent the absorption of cholesterol, helping you reach healthy levels. A study in the "Journal of Nutrition" published in March 2010 suggests that a heart-healthy diet including pistachios contributes to the decrease in the serum oxidized-LDL concentration by lowering cholesterol and may provide an added benefit as a result of the antioxidants -- lutein, beta carotene, or vitamin A, and gamma-tocopherol, or vitamin E -- that the pistachios contain.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Phytosterols
- Pistachio Health: The Snack that Loves You Back
- "Journal of Nutrition;" Pistachios Increase Serum Antioxidants and Lower Serum Oxidized-LDL in Hypercholesterolemic Adults; 1. Colin D. Kay, Sarah K. Gebauer, Sheila G. West and Penny M. Kris-Etherton; 2010
- Drugs.com: Potassium Content of Food
- Lutein Information Bureau: Introduction
- USDA: Nutrient Database
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