If you are asking — are pistachios healthy? Absolutely. Pistachios are definitely a healthy food choice. Let’s take a closer look at the many nutrition and health benefits of this powerful and appealing little nut.

Are Pistachios Healthy for Plant-Based Protein?

A 1-ounce serving of pistachios, about 49 nuts, contains 6 grams of high-quality, complete protein. This is comparable to the protein content and quality of a large egg. Whatever diet or lifestyle you’re following, including pistachio protein is a smart choice.

Antioxidant Activity Awesomeness

Research supported by the American Pistachio Growers shows that pistachios are comparable to other well-known sources of antioxidants like cranberries and pomegranates. 

Why are antioxidants from foods important? Antioxidants work to protect our cells from oxidative damage. Yes, we need oxygen to survive, but oxygen causes damage to our cells, creating compounds referred to as “free radicals.” Antioxidants attach to free radical compounds and protect cells throughout the body from oxidative damage. 

Pistachios are comparable in their antioxidant activity when compared to fruits and vegetables. However, they are incomparable when compared to other plant and animal-based sources of protein. They beat out foods like quinoa and salmon for their ability to reduce damage from free radicals.

Heart Health Helpers

According to recent research, certain nutrients in pistachios support heart health by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation, and improving endothelial cell function in arteries, making the arteries more elastic. Pistachios are especially beneficial for reducing inflammation throughout the body when taking the place of highly refined carbohydrates. Try substituting pistachios in foods like candies, cakes, cookies, donuts and other foods made with sugar and white flour. Are pistachios healthy as a snack swap? Absolutely. Is it time to swap your typical afternoon snack for some crunchable, munchable pistachios?

Weight Management Wonders

Pistachios are a beneficial food to eat for weight management. A study on 20-something women who were asked to add pistachios to their diets, with some consuming up to 20 percent of their daily calories from pistachios, had no changes in body weight after 10 weeks. 

Other studies have shown that people who are overweight and asked to snack on pistachios lost weight during 12-week studies. The protein in pistachios may be part of the reason. Protein in snacks is satiating, leading to less hunger and less food consumption at subsequent meals. 

One of the more unique studies on pistachios and weight management suggests that pistachios are most beneficial when people buy and eat in-shell pistachios. The benefits are twofold. First, it takes more time to eat a serving of pistachios (i.e. 49 nuts) when removing the shells. And second, researchers speculated that seeing a bowl full of shells reminds people of how much they’ve already eaten, reducing the desire to keep munching past the point of feeling satisfied with a pistachio snack.

The Pistachio Pantry

While much of the nutrition and health research has focused on eating pistachios, keep in mind that pistachios are a wonderful ingredient to keep in your pantry for use in both sweet and savory applications. 

Pistachios are an easy addition to things like a morning bowl of Greek yogurt and berries, a grazing board with cheese and dried fruit, or an after-dinner bowl of ice cream. My current favorite way to use pistachios in my home kitchen is Pistachio Cake. I hope you have fun finding your favorite new way to snack on, cook with, or bake with pistachios.

Here Are A Few Pistachio Recipes To Try Soon!

1

Pistachio Butter

Let’s cut the nonsense: store-bought nut butter? It’s fine. But fine doesn’t cut it here. You want something real, something super tasty, something that makes you pause mid-bite and think, “Yeah, this is what I’ve been craving.” That’s where our CA GROWN pistachio butter comes in.

Click here for the recipe.

2

Pistachio Cake with Mascarpone Cream + Macerated Strawberries

This pistachio cake from our friend Jaìne Mackievicz is rich and rewarding, with a melting, flourless, pistachio-buttery base that gently sinks into creamy deliciousness as it cools. But wait, to complement the cake, crown the center of each slice with softly whipped, vanilla-speckled mascarpone and pair with macerated berries that are bursting with sweetness and just a hint of tartness.

Click here for the recipe.

3

Nutty Overnight Oats Recipe

Mornings can be a grind, can’t they? Whether you’re a morning person or someone who hits snooze a few too many times, there’s one thing that can make getting out of bed a whole lot easier—a solid overnight oats recipe. And not just any oat recipe, we’re talking about a nutty, creamy, slightly sweet, and downright delicious breakfast that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Click here for the recipe.

4

Lime Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust

CA GROWN citrus adds a zesty zing to this Lime Cheesecake recipe. Even better – the nutty pistachio crust is incredibly delicious.

This recipe for lime cheesecake squares is straight from the pages (and the cover!) of Pistachio: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired By World Cuisine, a must-have cookbook for pistachios lovers.

Click here for the recipe.

This article was written by Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, is an award-winning dietitian, farmer’s daughter, public speaker, author, and president of Farmer’s Daughter® Consulting, Inc., an agriculture, food, and culinary communications firm. Amy’s career highlights include working for Dole Food Company, the California Walnut Commission and California Walnut Board, and The Culinary Institute of America. A farmer’s daughter from North Dakota, today Amy and her husband Scott Miller live in Carmichael, California with “the interns” Violet Grey and Schroeder the Shredder.