Pistachios are a very healthy nut. A handful a day allows us to rest better, reduce stress, and take care of our hearts while we enjoy them naturally or as a crunchy decoration. Today, we tell you all about their origin and benefits.
The wild pistachio tree has inhabited this land for tens of millions of years. With a rustic trunk and late ripening, its fruits give us all kinds of specialties, from Persian recipes to Sicilian cannoli filled with pistachios. A green, earthy flavor turned into a crunchy or oily paste with benefits that increase, even more, the pleasure of enjoying them. Below, what pistachios are, what they provide, and how to consume them.
What is pistachio
The pistachio is a dried fruit that belongs to the cashew family. It comes from the pistachio tree ( Pistacia vera ), a rustic tree capable of withstanding frost and temperatures of up to 40 °C, as long as the temperature change is not abrupt. It has a preference for dry and warm climates to the point that excessive irrigation or poorly drained soil could rot its roots. The pistachio tree is dioecious, that is, it has male tree specimens responsible for pollinating and female tree specimens responsible for bearing fruit, so its cultivation requires both types.
Depending on the variety, it can take up to 7 or 10 years to bear its first fruit, and it does so on a biennial basis, meaning that abundant harvests occur every other year and only after a long, hot summer. Harvesting takes place between the end of August and the beginning of October. The pistachio has a distinctive flavour, with an earthy and spicy note with a tendency towards sweetness. This characteristic taste has contributed to its consumption tripling in the last decade. Salted or unsalted pistachios are no longer just a sporadic snack, but the main ingredient for filling and decorating all kinds of pastries and cakes.
The interest in this dried fruit has increased so much that the podium of the top exporters has been a continuous back and forth between China, the United States, the historic Iran, and Turkey. Close behind them are other pistachios considered to be of better quality, such as the Sicilian green pistachio from Bronte with Protected Designation of Origin or the pistachio from Castilla la Mancha, which in large part corresponds to the Iranian Kerman pistachio.
Origin and history of pistachios
Many authors place the domestication of pistachios 7,000 years ago, although the botanical genus already inhabited the earth in the Tertiary, tens of millions of years ago. The origin of the current variety is still a matter of debate, although the most accepted hypothesis places the pistachio in Western Asia and Asia Minor, in the current region of Iran and Turkey.
The arrival of pistachios across the Mediterranean is attributed to Lucius Vitellus, the Roman consul sent to Syria. He introduced the dried fruit to the region of Campania in Italy under the rule of Tiberius. From there, pistachio cultivation spread to Sicily, where a very popular variety of pistachios was developed, the Bronte pistachio. As we know, the route did not end there but continued through North Africa until it landed on the peninsula.
In Spain, all the evidence, including the etymology of the word alfóncigo, points to the influence of the Arab empire as a fundamental factor in the development and expansion of pistachio cultivation. Unfortunately, the pistachio tree disappeared from the map in the Middle Ages along with the Arab expulsion. The reasons for its loss remain unknown, although a lack of knowledge about pistachio care and disdain for its cultivation are considered the main causes. Fortunately, for more than thirty years now, this crop has once again conquered a large part of Castilla La Mancha, Andalusia, and Extremadura.
Nutritional value of pistachio
Pistachios are nuts rich in fat, a source of protein, with a high content of iron and vitamin B6. They also contain a high percentage of phosphorus, ideal for taking care of our teeth, zinc for a strong immune system, and magnesium, an ally for athletes.
- Energy: 594 kcal
- Protein: 17.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.7 g
- Fats: 49.2 g
- Saturated fats: 6.21 g
- Fiber: 6.5 g
- Calcium: 180 mg
- Iron: 7.2 mg
- Potassium: 811 mg
- Magnesium: 122 mg
- Sodium: 16 mg
- Phosphorus: 390 mg
- Selenium : 3 mcg
- Zinc: 2.8 mg
- Vitamin E: 5.2 mg
- Folic acid: 58 mcg
- Thiamine: 0.69 mg
- Vitamin B6 : 1.27 mg
Properties and benefits of pistachios
There is a high probability that many people associate pistachios with a satiating effect and even as a healthy snack. But did you know that they can also help you sleep better and reduce stress? Below are all the benefits of pistachio consumption.
Recommended for sleeping
Pistachios contain up to 600 times more melatonin than other nuts such as walnuts. Melatonin is an essential hormone for regulating sleep. The circadian cycle is its clock and darkness is its starting gun. However, alterations in its functioning are the order of the day, with screens being one of the main culprits. For this reason, pistachios, with their high melatonin content, can contribute to increasing our rest.
Ideal for weight control
Are pistachios fattening? This is a common question when we approach the caloric world of nuts. With a quantity of almost 600 kcal per 100 g, it is normal to wonder if consuming them will contribute to weight gain. The truth is that it is quite the opposite, as long as we use the right quantities. With a handful of 10 or 15 pistachios, we get a good portion of healthy fats and fiber, which helps us to feel full sooner and regulate our appetite. In the long term, these amounts of pistachio intake are shown to promote weight loss.
Recommended to reduce stress
Magnesium is considered one of the most important minerals in the diet of athletes, as it regulates the muscular system, keeps the heartbeat regulated, and acts on the nervous system. It is precisely this last quality that contributes to regulating stress and anxiety. Pistachios, with their content of up to 40% magnesium per 100 g, are the ideal snack for periods of high physical and educational stress.
They can help improve eyesight
Pistachios contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which are like antioxidants for the eyes. The role of these molecules is to prevent the action of free radicals specifically in the ocular tissue, thereby protecting the macula and the lens, protecting vision, and maintaining the health of our eyes. In addition, recent studies show that they play a very important role in cognitive function, in its development in childhood, and in improving processing in adulthood.
Improve insulin sensitivity
A meta-analysis conducted by Shiraz Medical University showed that pistachio consumption reduces blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. For this reason, pistachio consumption is particularly indicated for the prevention of diabetes.
Good for cardiovascular health
Lower blood sugar levels due to pistachio consumption are already a protective factor for cardiovascular health. Added to this effect is the relationship that has been found between pistachio consumption and less systemic inflammation, as well as a better lipoprotein profile, which are essential for transporting fats and preventing cholesterol build-up. Including pistachios in our diet is a way of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Contraindications of pistachios
Pistachios are a safe food that only has a couple of recommendations because they belong to the group of allergens that is nuts and because of their caloric content.
Allergy to pistachios and other nuts
Nuts and seeds are one of the main causes of food allergies. Within this group of foods, it is also common to find cases of cross-reactivity, which means that an allergy to one nut can cause a sensitization to another. In the case of an allergy to pistachios, beyond avoiding them, it can lead to a reaction to cashews, fruits from the same botanical family.
Caloric intake
Pistachios, like all other nuts, contain a high caloric content. Specifically, 600 kcal per 100 g. What does this mean? Eating a large amount can far exceed our daily caloric needs of an average of 1,500 to 2,000 kcal and result in weight gain and adipose tissue gain. To enjoy all of their benefits without eating pistachios being counterproductive, it will be enough to eat 10 to 30 g, which is equivalent to between fifteen and twenty.
Why is pistachio so expensive?
Depending on the variety, a kilogram of pistachio can cost around €40. The main reason for its price is the large investment of time required to obtain the first fruits; it can take up to 10 years to mature. In addition, the harvest is biennial and its geographical distribution corresponds to a very specific latitude. All this, together with the increase in demand for its use in confectionery and pastry, makes it a dried fruit of very high commercial value.
Recipes with pistachios and their uses in the kitchen
Plain or salty. Combined with chocolate, citrus, saffron, or honey, pistachios are enviable nuts, capable not only of adapting but of turning the ordinary into the sublime, as they do in the pistachio ice cream recipe. Their full magnitude is given to us by the Persian recipe book and its historical perspective. Toasted in saffron and lemon, pesteh-ye shoor, decorating the crunchy and honeyed baklava or the smooth rice pudding. And there is no need to worry. If ancient Persia seems far away, a trip to Italy is enough to enjoy hundreds of pastry specialties covered or filled with pistachio paste, such as the emblematic Sicilian cannoli.