S.delicately sweet smell and an unmistakable green color: we are talking about pistachioa shell fruit loved all over the world, so much so that it even earned one celebration ad hoc.
The February 26 in fact, the World Pistachio Day, the right opportunity, in short, to take stock of the many benefits of pistachio and its nutritional properties. Here’s everything you need to know.
The origins
Pistachio is a nut that comes from Pistacia Veraa fruit tree belonging to the family of Anacardiaceae. Her origins seem to be very ancient: this fruit is mentioned even in the Old Testament (Genesis 43:11). Widespread in the Middle East, the history of the pistachio is also linked to United States and in particular the Central Valley of California which, thanks to the fertile soil, the hot and dry climate and the moderately cold winters, has offered ideal conditions for the cultivation of pistachios since the early twentieth century. In Italyon the other hand, the most famous and prized pistachio it is the Sicilian one of Bronte, variety with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), today also a Slow Food Presidium.
The most loved by Italians
To confirm the passion of Italians for pistachio was also recently a research conducted byAmerican Pistachio Growers – non-profit association that unites American pistachio growers – in collaboration with mUp Research. According to what emerged, pistachio would be the favorite of Italians among nuts, so much so that 7 out of 10 respondents say they consume it regularly.
The most popular feature? According to most of the Italians involved in the research it would be the versatility of this dried fruit that can be consumed throughout the day. Over 1 in 2 Italians declare that they choose pistachios as snack post lunch, 47% of respondents admit that they are as good as snacks for an aperitif but there are also those who prefer to consume pistachios during dinner. In short, that it is very much loved is a fact but the Can pistachio also be considered healthy? With the help of the Doctor Maria Bravo, biologist and nutritionist of Humanitas San Pio X we tried to understand what its benefits are and how to consume it to fully exploit its properties.
The benefits of pistachio, a food with a thousand virtues
Pistachio is a very complete food because it contains good Omega 3 fatswhich help to keep the cholesterolbut also proteins, carbohydrates, fibers and mineral salts, in particular potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Precisely by virtue of these nutrients, if consumed in the right quantities, pistachio brings multiple benefits to our health.
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Pistachio, even for those on a diet
The first thing to keep in mind is that it is a rather caloric food – in fact we are talking about 500 calories per 100 grams – however it is also recommended for those who are following a diet to lose weight because they are capable of increase the sense of satiety. Not only that, being rich in fiberspistachio is also an excellent food to combat constipation. Among its virtues, moreover, that of being one source of antioxidants, precious for fighting free radicals and thus protecting the body from aging. In addition, the pistachio is also recommended as snack during pregnancy. The reason? The Omega 3, Omega 6 and folic acid contained are very important for the development of the fetus.
The benefits of pistachio against fatigue and stress
The consumption of pistachio also seems to help counteract fatigue, anxiety and stress. This nut is indeed rich in potassium and magnesiumminerals that play an important role in the functioning of the central nervous system and muscles.
Not to mention that pistachios are also a good source of tryptophanan amino acid that increases serotonin levels, and vitamin B6another nutrient that helps the body produce what is called the happiness hormone.
Pistachio: the right snack for sports enthusiasts
Precisely because they are rich in mineral salts, pistachios are also recommended as ideal snack for athletes, to be consumed before or after training. Particularly those roasted beans grown in the United States they are perfect like post workout snack because they provide a complete protein thanks to the presence in adequate quantities of all 9 essential amino acids. In this way they help build and preserve muscles and help give the body the right “fuel” after physical exertion.
Benefits of pistachio and diabetes
But the benefits of pistachio don’t seem to end there. According to various scientific researches, in fact, this precious nut fruit seems to play a important role also in the prevention of type 2 diabetes because it helps keep your blood sugar under control.
Specifically, within a balanced diet, the consumption of pistachio could be a useful strategy to limit the risks associated with pre-diabetes, a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Pistachios appear to have in fact a beneficial effect on glucose metabolismon insulin resistance and other indicators related to the disease.
What is the recommended daily dose?
To take advantage of the many benefits of pistachio, however, the main rule is to keep the quantities under control. The ideal consumption, according to experts, is 30 grams per day equal to about 50 pistachios, for a contribution of 170 calories. Another fundamental rule is to lend pay attention to the label when buying pistachios. In fact, most of the time these nuts are sold in the form of snacks with adding salttherefore contraindicated in case of low calorie diet, hypertension but also rwater attention.
How to consume pistachios?
The ideal is choose natural and raw pistachios to be toasted at home, in the oven, and to be consumed both as a snack and to enrich preparations in the kitchen. Dried pistachios can be used, for example, to make one grain to add to saladsat the yogurt or classic fruit saladso as to make the most of the nutritional properties.
Contraindications
Finally, the only contraindication concerns the allergies, quite common for nuts. Even pistachios can therefore cause allergy sufferers ranging from manifestations gastrointestinal disorders to urticaria up to anaphylactic shock in severe cases. Caution is a must especially with children.
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