If you love pistachio nuts as much as we do around our house, you’ll certainly roll out a welcome mat for this news. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition gives us nut lovers a reason to crow with pride. Better yet, it gives us another reason to reach dip into our bag of tricks.
Penn State University researchers tell us that a diet that includes pistachio nuts may be beneficial to people with high cholesterol. Apparently the nuts increase the level of antioxidants that lower lipids and lipoproteins in the blood. Lipids and lipoproteins are risk factors in heart disease.
What’s more, pistachio nuts are also high in lutein, beta-carotene and gamma-tocopherol. Beta-carotene is the precursor to vitamin A and gamma-tocopherol is a common form of vitamin E. According to the researchers, Lutein is also found in green leafy vegetables.
The study states that antioxidants such as these are important weapons in fighting and preventing high cholesterol because they can prevent low-density lipoproteins – so-called “bad cholesterol” – from oxidizing, migrating into the blood vessel walls and causing inflammation. The antioxidants stop them in their tracks before they have a chance to harm you.
Good stuff.
You know what a nut lover I am – kind of attests to the whole “you are what you eat” premise I guess… making me a chocolate-covered nut that tastes suspiciously like coffee. I can live with that.
For a little over a year, I’ve been making small changes around our home in efforts to encourage my loved ones to eat healthier. Nuts are one of the most ingenious ways to do so. I leave little bags of nuts on the counter, canisters of nuts near televisions, and even place some in candy bowls. They disappear as though by magic. Granted, the disappearance act is faster when they’re encased in chocolate, but it’s all good. The dark yumminess brings antioxidants of its own.
Life’s good.
File this under under “Things I feel compelled to say” – because I KNOW, YOU KNOW, but keep in mind:
- I’ve never met a nut yet that was calorie-free, so be sure you keep calories in mind when popping them in like popcorn.
- Don’t leave nuts around, anywhere, that small children or animals can get them. As delicious as nuts are, they’re also choking hazards and small hands and paws of any size should never be allowed to risk it.
The image at the top of the post is a big, beautiful bag ofWonderful Pistachios Roasted and Salted Shelled Pistachios (32 Ounce Value Bag)
