Health Benefits of Pistachios

In 2003, the FDA published an approval of scientific evidence that suggested eating roughly 1.5 ounces of pistachios per day could help reduce heart disease risk. It was also found in a 2008 study that pistachios can help reduce “bad” cholesterol levels. They have been shown to in particular reduce levels of the LDL cholesterol while increasing antioxidants in volunteers.

A diet that includes regular pistachio intake was shown to help reduce the risk of lung cancer, according to data that was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research “Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research” Conference. The research found pistachios were a plentiful source of a compound known as gamma tocopherol, which is a type of vitamin E. It’s been established that vitamin E is a preventative for certain types of cancer, including lung cancer, and thus pistachios were considered preventative as well.

There has also been research that showed pistachios having anti-inflammatory properties. Published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, pistachio oil was found to decrease inflammatory marker levels in those who ingested it. Inflammation can underlie a number of chronic diseases, including obesity and cancer, so this is a very valuable benefit to any diet. The latest findings show that cardiovascular disease is another chronic disease that can be averted by avoiding inflammation.