Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsNutrition FactsBenefitsQuantityWho Should Avoid Them?Ways to Eat Them
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Nutrition Facts
Benefits
Quantity
Who Should Avoid Them?
Ways to Eat Them
Pistachios are packed with vital nutrients like potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, making them a healthy snacking choice. A serving size is 1 ounce, which is about 49 kernels.
While pistachios are commonly referred to as nuts, they are seeds from the fruits of the pistachio tree.
This article discusses pistachio nutrition facts, benefits, who should avoid eating them, and ways to enjoy them.
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Pistachio Nutrition Facts and Nut Compounds
Pistachios are high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Members of thePistaciagenus also include cashew nut, mango, sumac, and poison ivy. A 1-ounce serving (49 kernels) of pistachios contains:
Pistachios vs. AlmondsPistachios and almonds are similar in that they have identical amounts of protein.In other ways, almonds excel. Almonds have twice as much calcium and magnesium and slightly more iron than pistachios. Pistachios also have less fat than almonds.
Pistachios vs. Almonds
Pistachios and almonds are similar in that they have identical amounts of protein.In other ways, almonds excel. Almonds have twice as much calcium and magnesium and slightly more iron than pistachios. Pistachios also have less fat than almonds.
Pistachio Compounds
Bioactive compounds are chemicals in foods that may have health benefits.The bioactive compounds found in pistachios include:
Eating Phytosterol Foods to Keep Cholesterol in Check
5 Benefits of Eating Pistachios
From lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to helping with weight management, there are many potential health benefits from eating pistachios.
What Do Pistachios Taste Like?Many people enjoy pistachios' mild, earthy, slightly sweet flavor. The mixture of savory and sweet makes them ideal for cooking, baking, and snacking.
What Do Pistachios Taste Like?
Many people enjoy pistachios' mild, earthy, slightly sweet flavor. The mixture of savory and sweet makes them ideal for cooking, baking, and snacking.
Reduce Blood Pressure
Studies on pistachios and blood pressure show they may help reduce blood pressure. A meta-analysis found pistachio consumption significantly reducedsystolic blood pressure(the top number measuring the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats) but not diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number measuring the pressure in your arteries when the heart is at rest).
20 Types of Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
Lower Cholesterol
Studies also found thatpistachios may reduce cholesterol. Research shows pistachios may improve risk factors, such as the following:
Help With Weight Loss
In a randomized controlled trial, researchers found that regular pistachio consumption was associated with increased dietary fiber intake and reduced sweet intake. It also found associations with the following in people with excess weight and obesity:
Researchers say pistachio consumption may affect weight loss because nuts can increase satiety (feeling full), which can end up helping people modify their diets.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
BMI, Waist Circumference, or Waist-To-Hip Ratio?
Improve Gut Health
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Control Blood Sugar
If you havediabetes, pistachios may be an excellent snacking choice.
In one study, researchers evaluated the effect of pistachios on blood glucose in people withtype 2 diabetes.They found a marked decrease inHbA1c(amount of glucose in the blood) andfasting blood glucoseconcentrations in the pistachio group. Researchers concluded that pistachio can help with glycemic control in people with diabetes.
How Many Pistachios Should You Eat Daily?
Most people can enjoy pistachios daily. A serving size is 1 ounce.Like most foods, pistachios should be eaten in moderation. A daily serving would be a healthy addition to many people’s diets. However, when eaten in excess, pistachios, like other nuts, may upset your stomach.
Who Shouldn’t Eat Pistachios?
While pistachios have many potential health benefits, they may not be suitable for everyone. If you have a pistachio allergy, you should avoid pistachios and anything that contains pistachios.
In addition, if you have anytree nut allergies, be careful about eating pistachios. While not everyone with another nut allergy will be allergic to pistachios, there is evidence that people with acashew allergymay also be allergic to pistachios.
If you haveirritable bowel syndrome(IBS) or gastrointestinal issues, you may need to limit how often or how many pistachios you eat because some people experience abdominal pain, gas, and bloating when they eat pistachios.
Due to the high potassium in pistachios, if you are on alow-potassium dietfor kidney disease, you may need to limit how much or how often you consume pistachios.Ask a healthcare provider for guidance.
Beyond Dry Nuts: Different Ways to Eat Pistachios
In addition to enjoying pistachios dry, you can also eat them in many other ways. Some examples of how to include them in your diet include:
Pistachios are a versatile nut, and their mild flavor makes them a great addition to many dishes and desserts.
Summary
Pistachios are an excellent addition to most people’s diet. They are high in nutrients and chemical compounds that offer many potential benefits, from heart to vascular to gut health. People with nut allergies, especially cashews, should be cautious when considering pistachios. But most people can eat them every day in moderation.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hernández-Alonso P, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J.Pistachios for health: What do we know about this multifaceted nut?.Nutr Today. 2016;51(3):133-138. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000160U.S. Department of Agriculture.Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw.Bai SH, Brooks P, Gama R, et al.Nutritional quality of almond, canarium, cashew and pistachio and their oil photooxidative stability.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(2):792-798. doi:10.1007/s13197-018-3539-6National Cancer Institute.Bioactive compound.Mandalari G, Barreca D, Gervasi T, et al.Pistachio nuts (Pistacia veraL.): Production, nutrients, bioactives and novel health effects.Plants (Basel). 2021;11(1):18. doi:10.3390/plants11010018Asbaghi O, Hadi A, Campbell MS, Venkatakrishnan K, Ghaedi E.Effects of pistachios on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial function and blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Nutr. 2021;126(5):718-729. doi:10.1017/S0007114520004523Sauder KA, McCrea CE, Ulbrecht JS, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG.Effects of pistachios on the lipid/lipoprotein profile, glycemic control, inflammation, and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial.Metabolism. 2015;64(11):1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2015.07.021Rock CL, Zunshine E, Nguyen HT, et al.Effects of pistachio consumption in a behavioral weight loss intervention on weight change, cardiometabolic factors, and dietary intake.Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155Campos SB, Oliveira Filho JG, Salgaço MK, Jesus MH, Egea MB.Effects of peanuts and pistachios on gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome: A review.Foods. 2023;12(24):4440. doi:10.3390/foods12244440Parham M, Heidari S, Khorramirad A, et al.Effects of pistachio nut supplementation on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial.Rev Diabet Stud. 2014;11(2):190-196. doi:10.1900/RDS.2014.11.190Costa J, Silva I, Vicente AA, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I.Pistachio nut allergy: An updated overview.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(4):546-562. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1379947University Hospitals.How small diet changes can help control irritable bowel syndrome.National Kidney Foundation.Nuts and seeds.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hernández-Alonso P, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J.Pistachios for health: What do we know about this multifaceted nut?.Nutr Today. 2016;51(3):133-138. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000160U.S. Department of Agriculture.Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw.Bai SH, Brooks P, Gama R, et al.Nutritional quality of almond, canarium, cashew and pistachio and their oil photooxidative stability.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(2):792-798. doi:10.1007/s13197-018-3539-6National Cancer Institute.Bioactive compound.Mandalari G, Barreca D, Gervasi T, et al.Pistachio nuts (Pistacia veraL.): Production, nutrients, bioactives and novel health effects.Plants (Basel). 2021;11(1):18. doi:10.3390/plants11010018Asbaghi O, Hadi A, Campbell MS, Venkatakrishnan K, Ghaedi E.Effects of pistachios on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial function and blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Nutr. 2021;126(5):718-729. doi:10.1017/S0007114520004523Sauder KA, McCrea CE, Ulbrecht JS, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG.Effects of pistachios on the lipid/lipoprotein profile, glycemic control, inflammation, and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial.Metabolism. 2015;64(11):1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2015.07.021Rock CL, Zunshine E, Nguyen HT, et al.Effects of pistachio consumption in a behavioral weight loss intervention on weight change, cardiometabolic factors, and dietary intake.Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155Campos SB, Oliveira Filho JG, Salgaço MK, Jesus MH, Egea MB.Effects of peanuts and pistachios on gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome: A review.Foods. 2023;12(24):4440. doi:10.3390/foods12244440Parham M, Heidari S, Khorramirad A, et al.Effects of pistachio nut supplementation on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial.Rev Diabet Stud. 2014;11(2):190-196. doi:10.1900/RDS.2014.11.190Costa J, Silva I, Vicente AA, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I.Pistachio nut allergy: An updated overview.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(4):546-562. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1379947University Hospitals.How small diet changes can help control irritable bowel syndrome.National Kidney Foundation.Nuts and seeds.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hernández-Alonso P, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J.Pistachios for health: What do we know about this multifaceted nut?.Nutr Today. 2016;51(3):133-138. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000160U.S. Department of Agriculture.Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw.Bai SH, Brooks P, Gama R, et al.Nutritional quality of almond, canarium, cashew and pistachio and their oil photooxidative stability.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(2):792-798. doi:10.1007/s13197-018-3539-6National Cancer Institute.Bioactive compound.Mandalari G, Barreca D, Gervasi T, et al.Pistachio nuts (Pistacia veraL.): Production, nutrients, bioactives and novel health effects.Plants (Basel). 2021;11(1):18. doi:10.3390/plants11010018Asbaghi O, Hadi A, Campbell MS, Venkatakrishnan K, Ghaedi E.Effects of pistachios on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial function and blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Nutr. 2021;126(5):718-729. doi:10.1017/S0007114520004523Sauder KA, McCrea CE, Ulbrecht JS, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG.Effects of pistachios on the lipid/lipoprotein profile, glycemic control, inflammation, and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial.Metabolism. 2015;64(11):1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2015.07.021Rock CL, Zunshine E, Nguyen HT, et al.Effects of pistachio consumption in a behavioral weight loss intervention on weight change, cardiometabolic factors, and dietary intake.Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155Campos SB, Oliveira Filho JG, Salgaço MK, Jesus MH, Egea MB.Effects of peanuts and pistachios on gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome: A review.Foods. 2023;12(24):4440. doi:10.3390/foods12244440Parham M, Heidari S, Khorramirad A, et al.Effects of pistachio nut supplementation on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial.Rev Diabet Stud. 2014;11(2):190-196. doi:10.1900/RDS.2014.11.190Costa J, Silva I, Vicente AA, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I.Pistachio nut allergy: An updated overview.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(4):546-562. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1379947University Hospitals.How small diet changes can help control irritable bowel syndrome.National Kidney Foundation.Nuts and seeds.
Hernández-Alonso P, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J.Pistachios for health: What do we know about this multifaceted nut?.Nutr Today. 2016;51(3):133-138. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000160
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw.
Bai SH, Brooks P, Gama R, et al.Nutritional quality of almond, canarium, cashew and pistachio and their oil photooxidative stability.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(2):792-798. doi:10.1007/s13197-018-3539-6
National Cancer Institute.Bioactive compound.
Mandalari G, Barreca D, Gervasi T, et al.Pistachio nuts (Pistacia veraL.): Production, nutrients, bioactives and novel health effects.Plants (Basel). 2021;11(1):18. doi:10.3390/plants11010018
Asbaghi O, Hadi A, Campbell MS, Venkatakrishnan K, Ghaedi E.Effects of pistachios on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial function and blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Nutr. 2021;126(5):718-729. doi:10.1017/S0007114520004523
Sauder KA, McCrea CE, Ulbrecht JS, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG.Effects of pistachios on the lipid/lipoprotein profile, glycemic control, inflammation, and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial.Metabolism. 2015;64(11):1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2015.07.021
Rock CL, Zunshine E, Nguyen HT, et al.Effects of pistachio consumption in a behavioral weight loss intervention on weight change, cardiometabolic factors, and dietary intake.Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2155. doi:10.3390/nu12072155
Campos SB, Oliveira Filho JG, Salgaço MK, Jesus MH, Egea MB.Effects of peanuts and pistachios on gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome: A review.Foods. 2023;12(24):4440. doi:10.3390/foods12244440
Parham M, Heidari S, Khorramirad A, et al.Effects of pistachio nut supplementation on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial.Rev Diabet Stud. 2014;11(2):190-196. doi:10.1900/RDS.2014.11.190
Costa J, Silva I, Vicente AA, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I.Pistachio nut allergy: An updated overview.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(4):546-562. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1379947
University Hospitals.How small diet changes can help control irritable bowel syndrome.
National Kidney Foundation.Nuts and seeds.
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