by
Stepy —
January 14, 2019
- Nuts make a great snack food and a nutritional alternative to unhealthy snacks such as potato chips and crackers.
- Pistachios are very popular in desserts because of their unique and rich taste.
- Let’s looks at the health benefits of pistachios.
- Antioxidant rich:
- Pistachios are full of antioxidants, which fight the effects of oxidative stress, a factor known to cause serious disease including heart disease and some types of cancers. A study from Penn State University confirmed that pistachios help increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood. “Our results suggest that a heart-healthy diet including pistachios contributes to a decrease in serum oxidized-LDL levels, in part through cholesterol lowering, and also due to an added benefit of the antioxidants in the pistachios,” stated Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor at Penn State.
- Eye health:
- Pistachios provide a good amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that are great for eye health. They help your eyes filter out harmful light rays and protect from age-related diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Heart health:
- The study from Penn State University also showed that pistachios have the ability to lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). High cholesterol can contribute to heart disease and other serious heart conditions. “High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke,” states the American Heart Association, “as your blood cholesterol rises, so does your risk of coronary heart disease.”
- Rich in Vitamin B6:
- Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, providing 1.6mg per cup, which is 78% of the recommended daily value. So you get almost all the B6 you need daily in just one cup of pistachios. Vitamin B6 is essential for creating the myelin sheath, a protective layer that forms around our nerves. It is responsible for making hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to the blood. Vitamin B6 is also an important contributor to a healthy immune system.
- Skin health:
- Pistachios are a good source of vitamin E, providing 2.4mg per cup, which is 12% of the recommended daily value. Vitamin E is an essential vitamin for beautiful, healthy skin. This potent antioxidant vitamin protects from UV damage and defends against skin cancer.
- Weight loss:
- Pistachios are an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing 12.7g per cup, which is 51% of the recommended daily value. Dietary fiber is key for making the digestive system more efficient, therefore promoting weight loss. A study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that participants who consumed pistachios for 12 weeks lost more weight than those who ate the same amount of calories in pretzels.
- For the health benefits of almonds.
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- REFERENCES:
- 1. “Nutritional benefits in a nutshell.” PistachioHealthInstitute.org. Pistachio Health Institute, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
- 2. Kris-Etherton, Penny. “Effects of Pistachios on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Potential Mechanisms of Action: A Dose-response Study.” AJCN.Nutrition.org. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Sept. 2008. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
- 3. “Why Cholesterol Matters.” Heart.org. American Heart Association, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
- 4. “Pistachio Nuts Reduce Triglycerides and Body Weight by Comparison to Refined Carbohydrate Snack in Obese Subjects on a 12-week Weight Loss Program.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
- 5. “Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Nuts, Pistachio Nuts, Dry Roasted, with Salt Added.” Self Nutrition Data. Self Nutrition Data, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
