What Are Pistachios Good For?

• Pistachios are easily recognizable by their distinguishable white shell that splits down the middle when they are ripe. Pistachios, along with other nuts like almonds, pecans and walnuts, have been recognized by the Food and Drug Administration for their health improving qualities and high nutrient value.

Heart Healthy

• A study led by Professor Penny Kris-Etherton at Penn State University found that when pistachios are eaten in 1.5 to 3 oz. servings daily, they can lower blood pressure during stress. Lowering your blood pressure has been linked to reducing your risk for developing heart disease or having a stroke. Pistachios lower triglycerides, which are bad fats that can build up in your arteries and cause heart disease. A diet that regularly contains pistachios can also decrease chronic inflammation, which can decrease your risk for developing diabetes and heart disease.

Good Diet

• Pistachios have one of the highest fiber contents of all nuts, and they can provide 12 percent of your daily fiber requirement per serving. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends consuming 14 grams of dietary fiber per 1000 calories. Consuming fiber regularly helps people lose weight and control blood sugar levels, according to an article by the MayoClinic.com staff. Fiber can also lower your cholesterol and maintain bowel integrity and health.

Diabetes

• Pistachios can be helpful for people with diabetes, according to a study by Dr. Cyril Kendall and Dr. David Jenkins at the University of Toronto's Department of Nutritional Sciences. When pistachios are eaten with high-carbohydrate foods, they actually help slow the absorption rate of carbohydrates into the body, which can result in a lower blood sugar level.

Other Benefits

• Pistachios contain antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin and vitamin E. Lutein and Zeaxanthin protect your vision and can reduce the the risk for macular degeneration, which is one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly. Eating just 2 oz. of pistachios a day can also increase vitamin E levels in your blood. According to Ladia Hernendez and a team of researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, vitamin E in pistachios may reduce the risk of lung, and prostate cancer.

Vital Nutrients

• One ounce of pistachios, or 49 kernels, has 170 calories. They contain roughly 2 percent of your daily amount of vitamin A as well as other B vitamins such as riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin. They also contains 4 percent of daily values of folate and biotin. Pistachios contain these seven important nutrients: thiamin, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. They also contain the highest amounts of polyphenol antioxidants when compared to other snack nuts.