Are pistachios heart healthy?
Pistachios help your heart in four ways. First, most of the fat found in pistachios is “good” unsaturated fat, which can lower blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease when replacing saturated fat in the diet4. Second, pistachios offer the highest levels of cholesterol-busting phytosterols among snack nuts, and are a good source of fiber, both of which reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the diet5. Also, among snack nuts, pistachios are the highest in polyphenols, antioxidants with potential heart health benefits6. Finally, pistachios offer potassium. An inadequate intake of potassium is characterized by increased blood pressure and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke7. You’ll also find pistachios included in the FDA’s first ever qualified health claim for conventional food, which states: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and chole
Pistachios are included in the FDA qualified health claim for nuts and heart health: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts such as pistachios as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. [See nutrition information for fat content.]”. Most of the fat found in pistachios is the healthy mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Pistachios also offer the highest levels of phytosterols among snack nuts and have a greater antioxidant capacity than most other snack nuts.
