PISTACHIOS, The Smart Snack

This article was reprinted from the Pistachio Health website

Hungry? Choose pistachios. Among nuts, pistachios are one of the most nutritious varieties. A one-ounce serving of pistachios, with 49 kernels and 160 calories, gives you more than 30 different vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients.

Mmmmm, Minerals
Pistachios are a great source of copper, manganese, and phosphorus, which help build strong, healthy bones. They also contain significant amounts of potassium and magnesium, which help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

A Victory for Vitamins!
An especially rich source of vitamin B6 and the other B vitamins, pistachios can help you fight infections, build muscles, and give you a boost of energy.

Preventative Measures
Pistachios are full of antioxidants, which are great for helping to prevent cell damage. In a USDA study, pistachios were placed in the group with the highest antioxidant capacity, as compared to over 100 different foods. 1

Eye Gotcha!
Lutein and zeaxanthin may sound like mystery words, but they’re great for your eyes. Pistachios are the only nuts to contain a significant amount of these powerful antioxidants, which help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in adults over 65.

Fabulous Fiber
Most Americans aren’t getting enough fiber.2 Luckily, a snack of crunchy pistachios can provide three grams of dietary fiber, or about 12% of the recommended daily value. That’s about the same amount as in a serving of oatmeal!

References
1. Wu, X., Beecher, G. R., Holden, J. M., Haytowitz, D. B., Gebhardt, S. E., & Prior, R. L. (2004). Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States. J Agric Food Chem, 52(12), 4026-4037.↑
2. US Department of Health and Human Services, and US Department of Agriculture. (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office.↑