These little fellows belong to the cashew family and generally are harvested in the central Asian and Middle Eastern countries. ‘Mid day craving or evening suppers’ we all need to munch on something at certain times and not very often do we bear the cravings – forgetting our promise to go healthy – we again grab a pack of those fatty chips or sugary candies.
Well now is the time to munch on something healthy instead, pistachios being the healthy choice not only gets your health in good condition but also have various other benefits for our body.
These little treats are ‘cholesterol free’, so you have a snack which has no cholesterol absolutely zero percent; voila a healthier option is naturally available to you.
Pistachios are high in fiber and protein too, about 100 grams of pistachio contains around 21.35 grams of protein, so you see how much yielding this little nut is for your health.
This cholesterol free nut has been known to reduce the LDL cholesterol (a.k.a low density lipoprotein) and at the same time increasing your antioxidant levels. These nuts while keeping your cholesterol controlled, take care of your heart as well and avoid any cardiovascular disease.
Pistachios are a great help if you are trying to lose weight and can’t take your hands off food and still do not feel satisfied or full. Well these nuts have their own way of fooling your brain. Taking off the shell and eating each piece one by one slows you down, thus making your brain full quickly.
So even though eat less you still feel full. So those unhealthy munchies are in no way can stand in front of the health benefits of these healthy and scrumptious nuts. Pistachios are the natural snack that you can munch on when you have those little eating cravings of yours while you are managing your weight.
Pistachios have quite a lot of health benefits and thus can be considered a super food which keeps you maintained, providing you with a bunch of healthiness. No matter how much healthy a food is, until and unless you eat it in moderation you would not be able to grab on all the health benefits.
More on Health Benefits of Pistachios.
Moderation is the key to your healthy self. Eating a lot of these might not help you a bit and chances are that you might even put on more weight and have some other health issues. So when you munch on these keep yourself controlled and do not exceed the limit.
In addition to the amount you consume, you must also consider the quality of the product that you are having. Avoid roasted, salted, sodium added pistachios. These are not as healthy as the natural ones.
The roasted and salted pistachios would obviously increase the amount of sodium in your body which is not good. So even if you sometimes want to have the roasted and salted ones eat just a few of those to avoid any health issues.
Healthy Ways to Enjoy Pistachios
Breakfast: Add toasted pistachios kernels to your favorite granola recipe or sprinkle pistachio kernels on low fat yogurt for a crunchy texture and a boost of heart healthy monounsaturated fat.
Lunch: Top a spinach salad with brightly colored red pistachios kernels or add pistachios to a whole grain salad made with quinoa, shredded carrots, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley. Season to taste with your favorite low fat dressing.
Dinner: Garnish a chicken curry dish with toasted slivered almonds and pistachios or sprinkle pistachios on homemade meatloaf for a nutty flavor. Instead of garnishing a warm pumpkin soup with pumpkin seeds, you can opt for toasted pistachios instead. Also, you can alternatively sprinkle a handful of pistachios over a stir-fry for added crunch and nutrients.
Snacks: Substitute pistachios for other nuts in cookie, square and muffin recipes. For a warm afternoon snack, place 1/4 cup (50 ml) of pistachios on a baking sheet and toast at 375° for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly brown and fragrant. Lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
