Those green pistachio nuts that owe their roots to Persia, are an ineluctable part of many savories and sweets and are one of the favorite ‘nut’ across the globe. Won’t it be a surprise to you to know that they are originally not green in color? Natural ripen pistachio nut have beige color shell while the roasted nut one may have red color as well. The green color attributed to this nut is actually died by the importers to hide the stains on the nut that occur while they are sorted by hands. Though those nuts are sorted with machines nowadays and there is least chance for stains, they is still given green color to meet the customer expectation. Here is another interesting fact about pistachio nut-though often referred to as ‘nut’ it is not a botanical nut, but a culinary nut. Apart from bestowing unique flavor to whatever recipe it is added to, it has high nutritional value as well. It is rich in many important nutrients and thus, should essentially be made a part of your daily diet. Read on to know more nutritional facts of pistachio nuts.
Nutritional Value Of Pistachio
Amount of Pistachio: 1 cup
Total Weight of Pistachio: 123g
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Basic Components | |
| Protein | 25.3 g |
| Water | 4.9 g |
| Fat | 54.7 g |
| Calories | |
| Total Calorie | 685 |
| Calorie from Fat | 458 |
| Calories from Carbohydrate | 140 |
| Calorie from Protein | 88 |
| Carbohydrates | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 34.4 g |
| Dietary Fibers | 12.7 g |
| Sugars | 9.4 g |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 680 IU |
| Vitamin C | 6.2 mg |
| Vitamin E | 2.8 mg |
| Thiamin | 1.1 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.2 mg |
| Niacin | 1.6 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 2.1 mg |
| Folate | 62.7 mcg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.6 mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 132 mg |
| Iron | 5.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 149 mg |
| Phosphorus | 603 mg |
| Potassium | 1261 mg |
| Sodium | 1.2 mg |
| Zinc | 2.7 mg |
| Copper | 1.6 mg |
| Manganese | 1.5 mg |
| Selenium | 8.6 mcg |
Health Benefits Of Pistachios
- Pistachios are considered as important dietary constituent due to the abundance of energy; 100 grams of pistachios consist of 557 calories. In addition to that, they provide many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins and carbohydrates.
- Pistachios contain mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and abundance of antioxidants. Regular dietary intake of pistachios reduces the harmful LDL cholesterol levels in the blood while at the same time, increases the beneficial HDL cholesterol. The dietary fiber, mono-unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants in this nut help to reduce the risk of coronary artery diseases and stroke.
- The phytochemicals present in the pistachios are great antioxidants. They contain carotenes, vitamin E, and polyphenolic antioxidant compounds as well, which add to the antioxidant properties and thus help in removing the harmful free radicals from your body. Thus, in that way, pistachios help reduce the risk of many catastrophic diseases like cancer.
- Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin-E, especially rich in gamma-tocopherol; contain about 23g per 100 g. Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, essential for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin; offers protection from harmful oxygen free radicals.
- They have abundance of B-complex groups of vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folate and hence, contribute to healthy skin, hair and muscle tone, enhance the function of immune system and nervous system, boost growth and division of cells and many more
- Pistachios have a considerable amount of copper and thus, it helps in maintaining metabolism, enhance red blood cell synthesis along with helping in proper neuro-transmission
- Pistachio oil has significant effects on the skin. It protects your skin from getting dry. It is used in many traditional massage and aromatherapy.
Additional Tips
- Pistachios are available in different forms like shelled, unshelled, salted, etc. It is better to buy whole nuts i.e., shelled raw pistachios rather than processed/salted as the former has more health benefits.
- Good pistachios can be identified by their properties. They should have off white shells and the nuts should be uniform sized. Avoid if they have some cracks other than the natural cleave. They should not have rancid smell.
- Store the shelled pistachios in an airtight container. If you have unshelled pistachios, store it in a cool, dry place. You can store these nuts for many months.
Culinary use
- Pistachios are consumed as raw, roasted, processed and salted forms.
- Pistachios are important constituents in many sweets and savories.
- Roasted and crushed pistachios are used in salads, desserts, icecreams, biscuits, sweets and cakes.
Safety Warning
- Pistachio nut may cause allergic reactions in some sensitive individuals. This is due to chemical compound anacardic acid present in it. The allergy symptoms vary form simple skin itching to severe form anaphylactic manifestations like breathing difficulty, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
- Pistachios may cause cross-reactions when taken along with some nuts and fruits of anacardiaceae family (mango, cashew nuts etc.)
Mentioned above is some important information on pistachio nuts. You might have already learned about their importance as a food supplement. Make pistachios a part of your daily diet and enjoy good health.