A simple daily gesture such as eating a handful of pistachios can make a big difference to our health. This is the opinion of Dr. Ramon Estruch, doctor and researcher at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, who has analyzed the results of a clinical trial carried out in Mexico that relates the consumption of pistachios with significant improvements in physical and mental well-being.
In an interview on the 3cat program Tot es mou, Dr. Estruch explained that “with a handful of pistachios, that is, about 28-30 a day, in just one month positive effects are already observed on mental function, mood, anxiety and depression.” In addition, he pointed out benefits at the cardiovascular level, such as cholesterol reduction, and “visible effects on the abdominal perimeter, which is the fat most harmful to health”.
Ideal: raw and with thin skin
The expert clarified that the best way to consume them is “raw, and if possible, with that thin skin that covers them”, since it also provides health benefits.
Pistachios and concentration
Ideal for young people… and older people. The study to which Estruch refers focused on young adults of university age. “It helps improve concentration and, therefore, cognitive performance,” he explained. But he also highlights its usefulness in the older population: “In elderly people, nuts —especially walnuts, but also pistachios— help slow down the cognitive deterioration associated with aging.”
The Mediterranean diet as a context
The key. Despite the benefits of pistachios on their own, the doctor was clear in placing them within a healthy eating pattern. “It is very important to introduce pistachios and walnuts in the context of the Mediterranean diet,” he said.
The basis of the Mediterranean diet, with a high consumption of fruit, vegetables and legumes and a moderate consumption of animal productsEFE
In this sense, he argued that their effect is even greater when they are integrated into the main meals of the day: “It’s not just about snacking on nuts, but about including them in a balanced meal, with a first course, a main course and a dessert. Everything goes into the stomach and the effect is much more powerful,” he said.
A healthy poti-poti. Estruch insisted that there is no miracle food on its own, but that the combination — or the “poti-poti”, as he calls it — of good habits is what really improves health: “The key is in the diet as a whole, not just in an isolated food”.
So a handful of pistachios a day can become a small gesture with great benefits: improved mood, better concentration, cardiovascular health and prevention of cognitive impairment. All this without the need for supplements, simply from the kitchen.
