If you enjoy snacking on pistachio nuts, you’ll be reassured to know that they are one of the healthiest snacks around. Choosing pistachios over other typical snacks such as potato chips or crackers can have significant benefits on your daily energy and long-term health.
Pistachio Nut Benefits
Pistachios contain higher amounts of vitamin K and potassium than any other nut, are effective at lowering blood sugar levels, and can help to reduce the risk of various cancers. The high fiber content in pistachios can help with lowering cholesterol and help with overall weight management, as eating them can make you think you are fuller than you actually are.
However, you may also be surprised to learn that pistachios are good for your eyes, along with carrots, fatty fish and leafy green vegetables, as any eye specialist in Fort Worth professional will testify. The carotenoids present in pistachio nuts can not only improve your eyes’ ability to focus, but can also help you keep good eyesight for as long as possible and even make your eyes appear to be less tired. Don’t miss the recipe at the end of this article!
We all need our eyes to be able to focus efficiently, and if you spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen, you may find that you often have a lot of difficulty focusing, or changing focus from near to far. Vitamin A increases the ability of the eye to focus, and the carotenoids present in the nuts are converted to Vitamin A after being digested and processed in the body. If your eyes are constantly subject to pollution, including smoke, dust and debris, pistachio nuts are a good thing to eat.
The Vitamin A present in the nuts is also resistant to the aging process constantly affecting our bodies, including the eyes, and a diet rich in these tasty nuts can perhaps mean you won’t have to wear glasses any time soon. The antioxidants present in pistachio nuts can help to protect your eyes from damage, and can even help to prevent blindness by slowing down the onset of AMD, or age related macular degeneration.
It isn’t just your eyesight that can benefit from a diet rich in pistachios. The nuts are ideal for removing those unsightly dark circles under the eyes, a trick possibly discovered by women in ancient India, who were required to look their best. It takes time to work, but if you grind several nuts, mix the powder with about a teaspoon of milk and then apply gently to the affected area, you should notice a difference after a few days. For best results, leave the mixture on the skin around your eyes for about half an hour.
Pistachios have been eaten for their health benefits as well as their taste for hundreds of years; in fact, it is one of the oldest flowering nut trees, and one of only two nuts mentioned in the Bible. For a tasty snack that helps to keep your eyesight healthy and strong, pistachios are the perfect choice. Of course, you should also make a point of getting your eyes checked regularly at your local Fort Worth eye specialist. Contact Dr. Marvelli today! 817-346-7333
And, of course, here’s a delicious recipe to help you get more pistachios in your diet:
Orecchiette with Pistachio Pesto
- 1 ½ Cups unsalted, roasted and shelled pistachios
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbs. chopped mint
- ½ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 scallions, julienned
- Salt
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
Chop the pistachios in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Once chopped, add the garlic, mint and olive oil to combine. Stir in the pecorino Romano and scallions and season to taste with salt. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, add a handful of salt and the orecchiette. Cook to al dente, following package instructions. Drain and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Return the noodles to the pot and add the pesto. Stir to combine. If you need to add a little water to thin it out a little, do so now.
