Crunchy, nutty and brimming with nutrients, one can eat pistachio nuts for mid-day cravings. There is a large body of evidence supporting the theory that pistachios contain numerous health benefits. Roasted pistachios can be included in stir-fries as a substitute for meats, sprinkled on your morning granola bowl, or included as an ingredient in the crust of some delicious desserts. Pistachios also taste delicious flavour-wise. What more do you need?
Here are the nutritious benefits of pistachio:
1. Lower Cholesterol Levels
Eating pistachios can typically reduce bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol, thus lowering lipid deposits around blood vessels that are considered a risk factor for heart disease.
Photo: Sahand Babali
2. High in Antioxidants
These antioxidants protect the body against free radical damage, which are unstable atoms that are linked to a host of diseases. Most of all, pistachio is monosaturated fat. It has an antioxidant that improves heart health.
3. Improve Digestion
Pistachio nuts are high in fibre. While most of it is undigested, some of it is digested by the good bacteria in the gut, which convert the fibre into short-chain fatty acids. This can prevent colon cancer.
Photo: Eva Elijas
4. Low in Calories
Pistachios are one of the best foods to include in your diet. A handful of pistachios can provide up to 159 calories. To break it down, it contains 8 grams of carbs along with 6 grams of protein and 13 grams of unsaturated fat.
5. Promote Blood Vessel Health
Eating pistachio can promote proper blood flow which is extremely important in bodily functions, mainly erectile function. The antioxidants in the pistachios may explain the improvement.
Now that you know the benefits of pistachios, you may want to add them to your diet more often. You can skip the unhealthy fried food as a midday snack, and fill up on these amazing nuts that will make you feel satiated! However, like everything else, moderation is key!
