Pistachios: A World-Class Snack, A Healthy Treat

Remember when pistachios were those deep pinkish-red dyed nuts? They tasted great, but you couldn't eat a handful of them without getting your fingers and hands stained an funny shade of red.

Of course, now we know that pistachios don't grow magenta-colored from the ground, but rather have a light tan shell with a crunchy, mild-tasting nut inside. You may be one of the rising number of people eagerly consuming nuts these days, but did you realize that pistachios contain a good deal more nutrition than other types of nuts?

When it comes to nutritional value, you can hardly beat nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans -- but pistachios can hold their own against that group!

In a one-ounce serving of pistachio nuts you get more than 30 vitamins and minerals, compounded with other special nutrients.

The great thing about most types of nuts is that they're packed with minerals that the body needs to function at peak levels. As you may know from the nutrition-related stories in the news lately, it's getting more and more difficult to obtain the proper amount of minerals in our daily diet, leaving many people deficient in certain necessary minerals.

So which wonderful nutrients are lurking inside pistachios?

To begin with, pistachios are loaded with copper, phosphorous and manganese - no, that's not magnesium.

Copper, which helps to form connective tissue in the body, is composed of a number of enzymes required to create the body's biochemical reactions. Manganese is another nutrient that contributes to connective tissue and also skeletal tissue. It also aids in growth, reproduction, and - wait for it - the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat. Phosphorous is essential for the proper development of bones and teeth, and acts in conjunction with calcium to stop osteoporosis.

Other essential minerals in pistachios are magnesium, which has a role in more than 300 various biochemical reactions in the body, and is necessary for heart health and good blood pressure; potassium, an electrolyte that aids in maintaining acid/base balance, helps to form proteins, build muscle, and metabolize carbohydrates.

The nutritional powerhouse known as the pistachio has even more benefits.

These wondrous nuts are also a great source of B vitamins. The B vitamins play a vital role in healthy nerve transmission and muscle development, can boost your mood and give you added energy, and possess infection-fighting powers. Compared with other nuts they're especially high in protein and healthy fats, which makes them a good choice for snacks that can help to maintain steady blood sugar and insulin levels.

One study comparing pistachios and antioxidants ranked the nuts in the group of more than 100 foods that contained the highest levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants benefit the body by stopping damage due to free radicals; this protects your cells, prevents disease, slows signs of aging, and more.

There is a lot of information available now on eye health and nutrients specifically for the eyes, much of which includes references to pistachios, known to contain high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin; both of these prevent macular degeneration and other age-related eye diseases.

Pistachios: The New Fiber

Finally, pistachios contain as much fiber as a full serving of oatmeal, and are as good at satisfying the appetite.

Of course, generally speaking, nuts are an excellent source of fiber, which plays an important role in controlling blood sugar and curbing hunger pangs, and in fighting against cancer. Considering that the majority of people eat only half the recommended daily requirement of fiber, eating pistachios is a wise choice for your daily diet.

Pistachios and Healthy Fat

While it's certainly true that eating a large amount of pistachios would add up to many many calories, rest easy in the knowledge that the benefits of these nuts, such as their protein, good fat and fiber content, can meet your body's daily requirements for certain nutrients.

Most people eat pistachios in small servings, and yet feel quite full afterward. And of course, when you have to shell nuts to eat them, as you do with pistachios, you do tend to eat them more slowly; this sends a message to your brain that you're full after eating just a handful of them.

When buying pistachios, it's recommended that you choose the all-natural or organic brands which contain no salt or low salt. There are many especially salty brands of pistachios on the market today.

Be sure to read our new Fat Burning Kitchen program if you haven't already, which lists dozens of types of food that can help you blast off fat, as well as the so-called "health foods" known to really pack on the pounds.