Pistachios are Good for the Heart and Weight Loss Goals

Pistachios serve as a great snack for those trying to lose weight and even help with heart health. A new study found that the fat in pistachios aren’t completely absorbed by the body, which makes them lower in calories than what was previously believed. The study, from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that, in the nut family, pistachios are among the lowest in calories, at 160 calories for each 30 gram serving. Researchers fed 16 volunteers, all healthy adults, pistachios as part of a controlled diet. They calculated the energy value by measuring the differences in energy excretion during the time frame of the study. They found that the energy value of each serving of pistachios is 5.9 percent less than what was previously thought. “Existing scientific research indicates that fat from nuts is poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract,” said David J. Baer, lead ARS researcher and supervisory research physiologist.  https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2115,2115#msg-2115

 “The study confirms that the fat from pistachio nuts, specifically, is not completely digested or absorbed, resulting in a lower energy value. Another study from the University of California found that pistachios are a great snack for those looking to lose weight. They conducted a randomized study over a 12-week period that involved 52 overweight or obese volunteers. These volunteers were placed on a 500-calorie diet and were told to snack on either a pistachio snack (240 calories) or pretzel snack (220 calories). The group snacking on pistachios were more successful at reading their BMI goals, even though the pretzels were slightly lower in calories. - See more at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26990