Fit Fare

It’s now well established that nuts and seeds are good sources of phytosterols, antioxidant chemicals found in plants that reduce blood cholesterol, and decrease the risk of cancer. Recently, research conducted by the USDA found that pistachios contain very high levels of these compounds. In fact, only wheat germ and sesame seeds have higher levels. And since pistachios are very popular as a snack item, it would seem that it does a body good to choose them over other less healthy food items.

Other research studies found that eating two, one-ounce servings of pistachios a day could help a person with moderately high total cholesterol levels (greater than 250mg/dl), lower their total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels by nearly 10%.

In our household pistachios are very popular. In fact, hands down, they are the nut we are most likely to buy. When I moved here to California, I was pleased to see big bags of pistachios on constant display in grocery stores. Small wonder, California is the second largest producer of pistachios in the world, trailing Iran. Since they are locally grown, I find the quality of the nuts grown here is excellent. They can be strikingly big and firm, never rancid.

Pistachios grow on small trees and originated in mountainous areas of northeast Asia. One of the most recognizable traits of the pistachio is that the shell is split open, making them remarkably easy to shell. This split occurs naturally, as the nut ripens, producing an audible “pop.” In some cultures, it’s considered good luck to be standing under a tree when the shell pops open.

When I was growing up, the shells of pistachios were always dyed red. In fact, I was surprised when I moved here and saw that they are sold au naturel. Originally, the practice of dying the nut was to compensate for any damage done to the shells when they were harvested. However, this is done less, as modern harvesting methods produce less damage to the nuts.

Of course, good as pistachios are, they are also high in calories. Eating a whole bag, as we are likely to do in my house, is not a good idea. Using them with other foods helps me reduce the amount I eat. One of my favorite ways to eat them is to use Greek style yogurt with fresh fruit, shelled pistachios, and a little honey drizzled on top. The tart yogurt, sweet berries and crunchy pistachios tastes wonderful. And it’s good for you. Perfect.