In western America, pistachios are harvested in autumn after they have had enough time to ripen in the sun. They are then cleaned, sorted and roasted before ending up in our shopping bags and cupboards. In California, pistachios are known as ‘green gold,’ and there's a very good reason why?
Discover our latest podcast
The ideal sports aid
The first advantage of California pistachios is that you don’t need to worry when you eat them because they are the lowest-calorie nuts on the market. Experts say you should eat 49 unsalted pistachios a day in order to reap the true benefits, especially if you do a lot of exercise.
California pistachios are ideal for a healthy, balanced lifestyle because they have a variety of benefits. Snowboarder Jeremy Jones, who was named ‘Adventurer of the Year’ by National Geographic after his descent from the 6,400m high Shangri-La in the Himalayas, swears by pistachios and takes them with him on each of his insane adventures.
If you’re looking for something that provides a lot of energy and a lot of nutrients, you should always have a few of these oily nuts on you. And if you’re still not convinced, here are eleven reasons that you should head to the shops right now for a bag of pistachios.
Easy to carry around
In your pocket, a bag—no matter what you’re doing or where you’re going, even to the gym. They are also very easy to eat as well.
Low in calories
Pistachios have the least amount of calories of all the nuts. A recommended portion of pistachios a day is 49 and these oily nuts will help you feel full for longer. Eating pistachios should help you feel full for about two hours and so you won’t overeat and gain weight.
Lots of protein
28 grams of pistachios contain six grams of protein which promotes muscle growth, helps relieve muscle soreness and supports muscle recovery after exercising. It doesn’t get much better than that.
High in potassium
Thanks to their high potassium content, pistachios help prevent injuries and support muscle fibre regeneration.
Rich in vitamins
Pistachios are rich in vitaminB1 and B6 which provide the body with a high amount of energy. So if you’re in need of an energy boost, Californian pistachios are the way to go.
Stimulates brain activity
Many people don’t know this, but pistachios stimulate brain activity. According to a study by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, regularly eating pistachios promotes the frequency of brain waves that are linked to thinking, expanding, learning, memory and other key brain functions.
Helps lower bad cholesterol
Pistachios help lower your levels of bad cholesterol! How? Because of the many antioxidants that they contain. And what’s more, eating pistachios increases your levels of good cholesterol.
Rich in fibres
Eating 28 grams of pistachios a day provides you with three grams of fibre, which equate to 12% of your daily requirements. Since these fibres can absorb a lot of water, they also help make digestion easier.
Healthy fat
Pistachios contain unsaturated fats, also known as healthy fatty acids.
Good for the heart
Thanks to their anti-oxidants, pistachios are good for your cardiovascular system and also have positive effects on your nervous system, lungs and your heart. Very wholesome indeed!
Rich in copper
Finally, pistachios are also rich in copper which is necessary for your body to form haemoglobin and collagen. This means pistachios are good for your tissues, promote iron absorption and as a result, counteract anaemia.
Now there’s no reason for you not to add pistachios to yourdiet! There are so many other foods that, alongside exercise, provide you with all the nutrients you need.
This article was written in collaboration with American Pistachios.
Check out the video above for a summary of all of the pistachio’s health benefits!
