According to science, pistachios are:
1. Low in calories
Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie nuts, which means people can enjoy the health benefits of nuts while more easily staying within their daily calorie limits.
2. Packed with antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that play a critical role in health. They reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases by preventing damage to the body’s cells.
Nuts and seeds contain several antioxidant compounds, but pistachios may have higher levels of some antioxidants than other nuts. pistachios have among the highest levels of antioxidants including:
γ-tocopherol
phytosterols
xanthophyll carotenoids
3. Good for eye health
The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are essential for eye health. Pistachios are a rich sourceTrusted Source of both of these substances.
lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the chances of developing eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.Eating a healthful diet, including pistachios, is a promising way to help prevent these eye diseases from developing.
4. Beneficial for gut health
All nuts are rich in fiber, which encourages a healthy digestive system by moving food through the gut and preventing constipation.
A type of fiber called prebiotics may also feed the good bacteria in the gut. Feeding the good bacteria helps them multiply and “crowd out” harmful bacteria.
Researchers collected stool samples and found that people who ate up to 3 ounces of pistachios daily showed an increase in potentially helpful gut bacteria, much more so than those who ate almonds.
5. High in protein for vegans and vegetarians
Pistachios contribute to a person’s daily protein needs, at almost 6 g of protein per 1 ounce serving.
Protein accounts for approximately 21 percentTrusted Source of the total weight of the nut, making it a good source for vegetarians and vegans, among others.
Pistachios also boast a higher ratioTrusted Source of essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein, when compared with other nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts
6. Helpful for weight loss
Regularly eating nuts helps to reduce the risk of weight gain. Pistachios may be especially beneficial for those who wish to lose weight or maintain their weight thanks to their caloric values and fiber and protein content.
In a 2012 studyTrusted Source, people who ate 1.87 ounces of pistachios over a 12-week period experienced twice the reduction in their body mass index (BMI) as people who ate pretzels instead of pistachios. Both groups consumed roughly the same amount of calories.
7. Important for heart health
Women who frequently eat nuts may enjoy modest protection from cardiovascular disease, according to a 12-year studyTrusted Source published in 2001 based on the Iowa Women’s Health Study.
The study also showed a small link between regularly eating nuts and reduced risk of death from other causes.
Pistachios, in particular, may protect the heart by reducing cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
8. Good for blood sugar balance
Pistachios have a low glycemic indexTrusted Source, so they do not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar after someone has eaten them.
In a small studyTrusted Source of 10 people, eating pistachios reduced high blood sugar when eaten with a carbohydrate-rich meal, such as white bread. The researchers suggest that this is one of the ways that nuts lower the risk of diabetes.
For people with diabetes, another studyTrusted Source suggests that eating pistachios as a snack is beneficial for blood sugar levels, blood pressure, obesity, and inflammation markers.
9. Reduce colon cancer risk
Pistachios may reduce the risk of some cancers, such as colon cancer, due to their high fiber content.
Scientists demonstrated this in 2017 researchTrusted Source that showed that roasting the nuts did not affect their health benefits in relation to colon cancer cells.