The health benefits of pistachios are so good that it is worth it.

Next time you want to eat crunchy snacks, consider eating pistachios. They have a pleasant earth, cream and sweetness, which makes them super satisfying to eat. But in addition to mouth-watering taste and texture, pistachios are also rich in nutrition. Curious? Learn why pistachios are the healthiest nuts you can eat in the future.

Pistachio nuts are related to cashews and mangoes. Pistachio nuts are the seeds of happy fruit trees, which are native to West Asia and bear rectangular fruits. When the fruit is ripe, it will appear red and crack, revealing a hard beige (inedible) shell, which contains green oval cores or seeds-that's what you eat. However, botanically, pistachios are not real nuts. They are actually seeds. Real nuts are hard and dry pods without a layer of fleshy fruit. Think: acorns or chestnuts. However, pistachios and other nuts have many similar benefits and uses, as you will soon see below.

There is no other saying: pistachios are nutritional superstars. They are rich in antioxidant compounds against diseases, as well as protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins, such as folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin E. Generally speaking, nuts and seeds are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids-pistachios are no exception. Specifically, they are rich in monounsaturated fats (omega-6 and omega-9 fats) that are beneficial to the heart.

When it comes to the nutrition of pistachios, it should be noted that seeds are considered as the source of complete protein. This means that they contain all the amino acids you need. Amino acids are an integral part of protein (NCBI). Your body can make most of the amino acids your body needs, except for nine; These are called "essential amino acids" because you need to get them through food. Most complete protein (including all nine essential amino acids) are based on animals, such as eggs and chicken, but some plants (see: pistachios) also belong to this category. This means that crispy green food can significantly increase your protein intake, which is an ideal choice if you want to supplement more plant-based protein.

This is 1/4 cup (1 ounce or 28g) of raw pistachios:

Want to increase the intake of antioxidants? Pistachio nuts are the main sources of antioxidant compounds, such as B- carotene (the same substance that produces orange and yellow), lutein and tocopherol. They also contain chlorophyll, an antioxidant compound that makes pistachios (and plants in general) green. This is why it is important: antioxidants, such as those in pistachios, can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which may be the underlying mechanism behind chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. Therefore, by eating a lot of foods rich in antioxidants, such as pistachios, you can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and support your overall health.

Pistachio nuts may be new friends in your intestines. First, seeds contain soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber will form gel when it comes into contact with H2O in intestine, which will harden stool and reduce diarrhea. On the other hand, insoluble fiber can enlarge feces and may prevent constipation. Seeds also contain prebiotic fibers, which are "indigestible carbohydrates and can be used as food for [your] intestinal beneficial bacteria". This can increase the proportion of good bacteria and bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, and finally prevent ecological imbalance (intestinal imbalance), which usually leads to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Although this health benefit of pistachios is definitely a benefit, please remember that you may have gastrointestinal discomfort (think: diarrhea and stomach cramps) after eating pistachios. That's because they contain fructan, which is "sugar that can't be digested by your intestines (but depends on intestinal bacteria to digest it, making you more flatulent and bloated)".

As mentioned earlier, pistachios provide healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for the heart because they can help lower LDL cholesterol. "High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, but eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat can reduce the risk." Pistachios also contain potassium, a mineral that is "important for maintaining a healthy blood pressure level". This also helps to avoid heart problems, because high blood pressure is the main risk factor for heart disease.

If your task is to avoid hunger, please add pistachios to your rotation. Pistachio nuts are a very satisfying food because of their high fat content. Basically, fat will slow down the digestion of food, which will make you feel full for a longer time. Protein and fiber in pistachios are also helpful. Protein can reduce ghrelin, a hormone that will tell you that you are hungry. "At the same time, fiber will generate volume in the stomach, which will help to promote satiety." These satiety feelings of pistachios can help you keep full and full of energy, making it easier for you to concentrate on other things you have to do in busy days.

Pistachio nuts have no known drug interactions. However, if you are new to seed, please remember some things. Pistachio nuts contain fructan, a carbohydrate, which is also found in foods such as wheat, onions and garlic. So you may want to skip the green food that fructan can't stand.

If you have a history of allergies to tree nuts or mangoes (similarly, mangoes and pistachios belong to the same family), you should also be cautious about pistachios. Although pistachios (such as mangoes) are technically seeds, they are closely related to nuts. Signs of food allergy include dysphagia, itchy mouth, stomach cramps and nausea, all of which should be called to your doctor. You can also contact an allergist to better understand what allergies (if any) you may have before eating pistachios.

Given the impressive health benefits of pistachios, it is not surprising that they seem to be in stock in every store. In the market, you can find shelled and unshelled (the latter is purely for convenience), as well as raw, roasted, salted and unsalted.

Or you can bake and season pistachios at home. This not only allows you to control salt and other additives, but also makes it interesting. What's more, antioxidants in seeds still exist even after baking. It means that cooking will not destroy the disease-resistant effect of pistachios. Just stir the shelled raw pistachios with your favorite seasoning (such as Chili powder, rosemary or cinnamon), then spread them evenly on the baking tray and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes or "until they turn light brown and give off a faint nutty smell". If your oven cooks food unevenly, you can rotate the baking tray by half. Let your homemade roasted pistachios cool before eating, and then keep the leftovers in a sealed container for about a week.

Like other seeds and nuts, pistachios are usually processed into different forms and sold as oil, milk or butter. According to their processing methods, the nutritional components of pistachio products may be different. For example, pistachio oil is usually released by baking and squeezing pistachios, while pistachio milk is often the result of mixing pistachios with water and then filtering out the pulp. In both cases, you have much less fiber left than you find in the whole seed. Therefore, if you want to get the health benefits of pistachios, please consider eating the actual ingredients. (Related: Overall Packaging Guide for Oat Milk and Almond Milk)

As far as flavor is concerned, "pistachio is mild in taste and slightly sweet in aftertaste". So, if you want to know, "What's the use of pistachios?" The answer is simple: whatever. "They are versatile nuts and can be paired with many dishes, whether sweet or salty," Ferrer added. In the future, how to cook and bake pistachios will begin to use pistachio seeds at home;

As an ingredient. Like other nuts, chopped pistachios are also good ingredients. Use them to decorate any food that can add flavor or flavor, such as soup, oatmeal, yogurt or hummus.

In baked goods. Add pistachios to banana bread or chocolate biscuits to treat yourself and enjoy pistachio dessert. About 1/3 cups of chopped pistachios are effective for most batter, although you can add more at any time.

As a shell. A mouth-watering meal, please try to paint your favorite protein on the broken pistachios. Chop them with a food processor or by hand to make a nut substitute for bread crumbs.

In the salad. Use a handful of pistachios to make your next salad more special. Nuts add flavor, texture and protein.

In the pesto sauce. Get a suggestion from agyeman to use pistachios in your next batch of homemade garlic sauce. As long as chopped pistachios are used instead of pine nuts, you can get a completely unique (delicious) sauce.