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Here’s a low-cal snack that has protein, is potassium-rich and quite tasty

If you asked me to name the nut of the year, I’d wonder if you were talking about someone in politics, entertainment or sports. But, no, this is a question about hard-shelled delectables that grow on trees.

Food industry think tanks and marketing firms are declaring this the year of the pistachio. They predict we will be seeing pistachios in drinks, pasta, pesto and plant-based milks to name just a few new pistachio pairings.

They also suggest pistachio could be a popular color in clothes and appliances. Having lived through the first green appliance revolution, I suggest passing on this trend. It doesn’t age well.

The first pistachio I tasted was imported from Iran and dyed an unnatural red. Pistachios were harvested from the ground and the red dye covered cracks and imperfections. And after eating a few, the red dye covered your fingers. Dyed pistachios left the nut bin in the 1980s and now most pistachios eaten in the United States are from California.

Pistachios are low in calories, have protein and fiber and are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B6. 
Pistachios are low in calories, have protein and fiber and are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B6.

Pistachios have more than great taste. A 1-ounce serving (about 49 nuts) has 159 calories, 5.7 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and is an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B6. They are one of the higher protein nuts and contain all nine essential amino acids.

Pistachios outside of the shell are green with a purple tint. This is an indicator of their high anti-oxidant levels, which help reduce inflammation.

The first reference I could find for the pistachio principle is from a 2011 article in Appetite. Researchers found that subjects served pistachios in the shell ate 41% fewer calories than the group offered shelled pistachios. And they felt equally full and satisfied.

The hypothesis is that the time needed to shell the nuts, or the visual reminder of all the shells, led to a decreased intake. This nut of the year is a winner.

Sheah Rarback
Sheah Rarback

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami, FL. srarback@hotmail.com