Pistacia vera

General information:

Pistachio is an extremely nutritious nut, which has been wildly used in desserts in South East Asia.

Amongst its many therapeutic benefits, pistachios are an excellent source of dietary fiber. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines Committee recommends a dietary fiber intake of about 14 grams per 1,000 calories, but consumption studies have indicated that Americans typically consume only half of the recommended amount. As a good source of fiber, Pistachios can help meet this goal, providing 12% of the daily requirement per serving.
Extremely low in calories, Pistachios are ideal health snacks.

Constituents:

Pistachio nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, which is an excellent source of antioxidants. They also contain phytochemical substances that may contribute to their overall antioxidant activity, including carotenes and polyphenolic antioxidant compounds. Vitamins B and E, minerals like potassium, copper, magnesium, zinc and iron and dietary fiber are also found in Pistachio nuts.

Benefits:

• Eating pistachios regularly may help to lower total cholesterol as well as LDL or ‘bad cholesterol’ and increase HDL or ‘good cholesterol’ levels in the blood. Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet that is rich in dietary fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants can help prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring a healthy blood lipid profile (Source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pistachio.html)
• New research has shown that a diet rich in Pistachio nuts improves sexual function in men with symptoms of erectile dysfunction.