Holistic Lifestyle Expert, Luke Coutinho Explains Why California Pistachios Are A Superfood

It is a known fact that nuts are a good source of protein. What is rarely spoken about is that Pistachios are actually a complete source of protein apart from all the other benefits they offer.

Luke Coutinho, well-known holistic lifestyle coach and lifestyle ambassador of American grown pistachios, tells us why pistachios should be essential in our diets and how we can go about it.

PROTEIN: FINDING A COMPLETE PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

“Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and our body needs 20 different amino acids to grow and function properly. Out of 20, nine are ‘essential’ amino acids as they are not produced by the human body, so they must be obtained in food.  Also a majority of plant-based foods are ‘incomplete’ proteins as they are deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids. Hence the best way is to combine two complete proteins during one meal or, anytime throughout the day to create a complete protein. It is now considered that roasted pistachios are a complete protein source for those who are over five years old.”

California pistachios qualify as a complete source of protein. According to the Food and Drug Administration, a complete protein is a food that contains “all the 9 essential amino acids in adequate amounts", and that is present in roasted pistachios. 

FATS: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

Fats make an essential part of our diets too. Many people struggle with how much fat to get and usually depend on refined oils to meet those requirements. Nuts are actually a better source of fats since they are considered ‘whole’ and also called ‘good fats’.

“Good fats cannot make you unhealthy and one should stop blaming them for making us put on weight. Good fats are definitely needed for so many bodily functions. Basically, it is the poor sedentary lifestyle, overeating junk, toxic emotions, poor sleep patterns, that actually lead to weight gain. You will be surprised to know that researchers recently discovered that eating as much as 20% of calories from California pistachios may not lead to weight gain, but it may provide the added benefit of improving health!

California pistachios are also one of the lowest-calorie nuts with just 160 calories in a single ounce, which is equivalent to 49 pistachios. Also, the act of opening each pistachio shell to get out the nut slows down the eating process, which leads to greater satisfaction and fullness after eating”, adds Luke emphatically.

Besides fat, Pistachios are loaded with fiber, protein, Vitamin B6, potassium, thiamine, copper, phosphorous and powerful antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, it has the lowest calorie compared to other nuts.

PISTACHIOS FOR DIABETICS

With over 40 million people in India suffering from diabetes, it has reached epidemic proportions. Diabetes can be managed with healthy dietary changes. Luke explains why pistachios can actually make a good snack option for someone with diabetes.

“The results from the largest randomized clinical trial to date on nuts and diabetes showed that eating about 2 ounces of nuts a day for 3 months, as a replacement for carbohydrate foods, may improve long-term blood sugar control and LDL cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. 

Research also shows that adding pistachios to different common carbohydrate foods, such as rice and pasta, was linked to reduced relative blood sugar response of the meal”, he says.

This makes pistachios a good addition to daily meals for anyone with diabetes.

BEST PRACTISES TO INCLUDE PISTACHIOS

Many dietary practices are surrounded by myths and doubts about how much to eat of a particular food, best times to eat them and how to combine foods to make the most of the nutrition. Luke elaborates on some of these myths that surround pistachios as a nut.

“It is a myth that pistachios are not meant to be consumed during warm weather. Rather eating a handful of nuts like pistachios should be a part of everyone's daily and balanced diet”, he says.

When asked what is the best time of the day to consume pistachios, he adds, “it is entirely up to you as different people have their own lifestyles. The idea is to stop craving unhealthy snacks by keeping portable California pistachios at hand. A recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who snacked on pistachios experienced lower blood sugar levels immediately following a meal.”