Pistachios, a member of the cashew family, have numerous health benefits including curbing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, promoting eye health, and preventing diabetes. They are a rich source of fiber, antioxidants, copper, vitamin B6, manganese, and phosphorus. Eating pistachios can also help control weight.
A member of the cashew family, the pistachio has numerous health benefits. Often eaten as a snack, pistachios are effective in curbing heart disease and lowering cholesterol. Pistachio health benefits include serving as a source of more than 30 vitamins and minerals. Additionally, the low-calorie nut promotes eye health and may help consumers avoid diabetes.
Eating these nuts can help lower cholesterol and harden the arteries, which greatly reduces the risk of heart disease. During a study conducted in the United States by Penn State University, volunteers who added pistachios to their low-fat diet lowered their cholesterol levels more than those who did not consume the nuts. Part of the reason for this is that pistachios contain a substance called lutein. Lutein is also found in green vegetables and is associated with preventing the formation of cholesterol in the arteries.
Pistachio health benefits also include providing a rich source of fiber. One cup (123 grams) of pistachios has more than 50 percent of a person’s recommended daily allowance of fiber. Fiber not only helps reduce cardiovascular disease by lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood, but also promotes good gastrointestinal health.
Also, pistachios can help prevent other diseases. Pistachios are rich in antioxidants, which are essential in fighting the formation of destructive molecules called free radicals. The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are found in pistachios. These antioxidants may help prevent macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in adults.
Other pistachio health benefits include contributing as a rich source of copper, vitamin B6, and manganese. One cup (123 grams) of pistachios provides more than 80 percent of the recommended daily value for copper, a vital component found in enzymes. The same amount of pistachios also provides about 80 percent of the recommended value for vitamin B6, which helps build red blood cells. More than 50 percent of the recommended daily value for the mineral manganese can also be found in a serving of pistachios. Manganese helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates.
Eating pistachios may also help prevent type 2 diabetes. One cup (123 grams) of pistachios contains 60 percent of the recommended daily value for the mineral phosphorus. In addition to breaking down proteins into amino acids, phosphorus promotes glucose tolerance. Pistachio health benefits also include serving as a way to control weight. One ounce (28 grams) of pistachios contains just 160 calories.
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