Thursday, April 28, 2011

Health Benefits of Pistachio Nut-Pista


Health Benefits of Pistachio Nut-Pista
Health Benefits of Pistachio Nut-Pista
Delicious ice creams, mouth-watering desserts, tasty gravies – almost every one of these dishes can be enhanced by adding a small amount of pistachio nuts to it. These lovely little nuts are an ancient source of food, originating from Asia Minor and Western Asia, which later spread across the globe, becoming a favourite. You can snack on pistachios, add them to your favourite dish, and even use them as a beauty aid. There is no end to the ways in which they can be used. Apart from being a boon to the taste buds, pistachio is a panacea for a wide range of disorders as well. Did you know that cracking open a handful of pistachio nuts could actually prevent you from cracking open medicines to a large extent? Yes, it is true. Pistachios can help improve your overall health, ranging from cardiovascular health to vision and help aid the fight against cancers, due to the abundance of the phyto-nutrients that they contain.
Health & Nutrition Benefits Of Pistachios
* Pistachios are free of cholesterol and have a high content of monounsaturated fats. They also contain approximately 90% unsaturated fats, thereby boosting HDL cholesterol. This means that they can help prevent heart attacks.
* The presence of phytosterols in pistachio helps prevent the body from absorbing too many bad fats that affect the heart and overall health. Apart from this, the anti-oxidants present in it further helps reduce cholesterol. Arginine, a plaque-like substance in the blood, is also reduced. This makes the body avoid its build up in the arteries.
* The presence of copper, magnesium
and vitamin help strengthen one’s immune system and helps improve overall fitness.
* Pistachios are packed with fiber and protein. This makes them a filling snack, which reduce food cravings.
* Pistachios are full of phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins. This helps the body fight many debilitating diseases, including cancer.
* The minerals and vitamins in pistachios can help boost metabolism, build bones up, strengthen tissues, aid the nerves and cardiovascular system, improve vision, and purify the blood stream.
* In today’s stress-filled world, pistachio can help reduce acute stress reactions and improve overall behavioral health.
* Ground pistachio, when mixed with milk, can be used as a face pack. It helps the skin glow and is a great beauty aid.
Nutritional Facts About Pistachio Nuts
* Pistachio nuts contain antioxidants, phytosterols, unsaturated fats and essential vitamins and minerals, all required for a healthy heart.
* The monounsaturated fats in pistachios are known to prevent coronary artery diseases and heart attacks, and maintain a healthy blood lipid profile.
* You can reduce cholesterol content in your blood by eating a handful of pistachio nuts. Being the main culprit behind most of the heart disorders, these nuts assist in reducing both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels which, in turn, decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
* Pistachios are useful for building strong teeth and bones and carrying out normal nerve functions, due to their high calcium content.
* The zinc content in pistachios is largely responsible for promoting cell reproduction and tissue growth during the process of wear and tear of the body parts.
* The oil extracted from pistachios helps in keeping the skin healthy and well protected from dryness.
* The nuts also aid in reducing weight as the proteins, fat and dietary fiber contained in them induce feelings of fullness, thereby reducing the chances of a person overeating.
* Pistachios assist in keeping diseases, cancer and infections at bay since carotenes, vitamin E and polyphenolic compounds found in them are known for removing toxic oxygen and free radicals.
* Rich in phosphorus, pistachios help in breaking down meat and other proteins into amino acids essential for hormone production and reducing the risk of developing adult-onset diabetes. On the adverse side, lack of phosphorus can result in glucose intolerance.
* Though not as good as sweet potatoes and carrots, pistachios provide a good amount of vitamin A necessary for cell differentiation.
* Consumption of pistachio nuts helps in reducing stress and elevated blood pressure by almost 10%.
* In case you want to increase the nitric levels in your body, then pistachios are what you should look out for. They contain a good amount of Arginine, important for the metabolic processes of our body, such as preventing the blockage buildup along the arterial walls of the body and improving functions of many body processes.
* They are packed with several B-complex groups of vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 and folate.

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