The Health Benefits of Pistachios

People are like pistachios. Some of them open up easily, but there are others who need to be really broken to get into.
RVM

I love pistachios. It’s always been my favorite flavor of ice cream, desert, or even bread. I love cracking those little green nuts and enjoying them by the handful. It’s my all time favorite nut out of all of the nuts. My kids enjoy them too, I’ve been known to buy two bags of pistachios and hide one for myself. It’s my not so secret habit. I normally love doing these health benefits posts because it makes me research and think more about my own eating habits. This one is probably the opposite, I should take it easy on the pistachios. Everything in moderation right?

If you are just here for the amazing Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe – scroll down. If you’ve been around for a while, I’m totally going to summarize the health benefits of Pistachios and try to persuade you to eat more pistachios for good health!

Pistachio nuts are not only tasty and fun to eat but also super healthy. These edible seeds of the Pistacia vera tree contain healthy fats and are a good source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. They also contain many sleep enhancing benefits for yourself and your children, but let’s be real – if your children sleep better – You sleep better. We started doing more pistachios in early January because our schedules and sleep routines were so bad from the holidays. I’m going to try and put this gently, because moms everywhere are very opinionated right now about melatonin and children. A child’s size handful of pistachios contain more melatonin than most melatonin supplements on the shelves. So a couple as a bedtime snack or the pistachio cookie recipe below can help everyone get more rest!

People and children have been eating pistachios since 7000 BC, so they are pretty well tested and safe. However nut allergies are real and scary. So slowly introduce them to your family if you’ve never tried them. Oh and please always remember, I’m not a doctor! I’m just a mom who enjoys researching healthy wonderful foods.

Pistachio Nuts are Nutrient Dense

Pistachios are high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. They also boast several other important nutrients, including vitamin B6 and potassium. B6 is good for hemoglobin production and blood sugar balance.

Pistachios are full of Antioxidants

Pistachios are among the most antioxidant-rich nuts around. They’re high in lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which promote eye health.

Pistachios are low in calories.

If you are watching your calories and weight, pistachios have healthy fats and are low in calories. Pistachios contain fewer calories and more protein than most other nuts. Also, their essential amino acid content is higher than any other nut.

Pistachios Promote Gut Health

Pistachios are full of fiber! Fiber promotes the good bacteria in your gut to grow and flourish.

Pistachios are Heart Healthy

The little nut not only contains so many antioxidants which are wonderful for all of your cells, but also may lower blood cholesterol and improve blood pressure, thus lowering your risk of heart disease.

Pistachios May Help You Sleep Better and Beat Jet Lag

American pistachios contain melatonin. Melatonin has been reported to improve sleep efficiency and it was found that eating melatonin-rich foods could assist sleep.

“Melatonin was found in various nuts, and pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) was reported with the highest content (233,000 ng/g DW) to date.” This seems to be regional from different reports online but American grown pistachios do contain a large amount of melatonin. So if you make the cookies below with American pistachios, you can totally call them bedtime cookies.

And now, after weeks of teasing y’all testing Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies out on my Instagram Stories, I have my favorite recipe to date. I do my Chocolate Chip Cookies butter less and use coconut oil. I feel it makes them have a cake like texture rather than the traditional cookie texture. I love it, but you can totally use butter. The base of this is a basic chocolate chip recipe. If you love your recipe, add a cup of pistachios and I bet your cookies will taste amazing.

Best Pistachio Chocolate Chip Recipe 2020

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup coconut oil, depending on your room temperature you may need to warm it to liquid
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 and 1/2 cups flour
3/4 kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips (dark chocolate for a yummy option)
1 cup of shelled and smashed pistachios.

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut oil, vanilla, eggs, sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
Add flour, salt, and baking soda to bowl and stir until ingredients are incorporated and you have a smooth dough.

Fold chocolate chips into dough until they are evenly distributed.
Line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for 9-12 minutes until lightly browned.
Serve cookies immediately or let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. Warm cookies before bed are our favorites.