When you’re looking for a snack, do you reach for a bag of chips, pretzels or other high-carb snacks? Grab a handful of pistachios instead. If you’re watching your weight, munching on pistachios has advantages. Not only are they a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, but not all of the fat in these crunchy nuts is also absorbed by the body. This means there’s less fat to end up on your thighs and hips. Eating pistachios in moderation can satisfy snack cravings without adding unwanted pounds to your frame.
Eating Pistachios: They’re a Lower Calorie Nut to Munch
Pistachios already have the distinction of being the lowest calorie nut. A one-ounce serving of this tasty little snack has 160 calories, and there are about 49 nuts in a serving. When researchers at the USDA measured their actual energy value in humans, they found the calories absorbed were almost 6% less than what the calorie counters say. So, when you eat a handful of pistachios you’re getting fewer calories than what it says on the charts. How often does that happen? You also get more nuts when you eat pistachios over other nuts like walnuts. An ounce of walnuts is the equivalent of only 14 walnut halves. It’s not hard to mindlessly throw down 14 walnut halves and still feel hungry. Not so with pistachios.
There’s another reason to put aside the pretzels and eat pistachios instead. In a study carried out at the University of California at Los Angeles, researchers found that subjects who snacked on pistachios daily maintained a healthier BMI (body mass index) than those who crunched on pretzels. Add to that their heart-healthy benefits, and you can see why pistachios are a smarter snack choice.
Eat Pistachios Au Natural As a Healthy Snack
Here’s a tip for eating pistachios. Buy then unshelled. Research shows that people who have to remove the shells from pistachios, consume 40% fewer calories and still feel satiated and satisfied. Removing the outer shell slows down how fast you can pop them in your mouth. This gives more time for levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin to send the signal you’re full. Besides, you’ll burn more calories taking the shells off.
Convinced that pistachios are a better snack option than pretzels and chips? When you snack on pistachios, you’re doing both your heart and your waistline a favor. Enjoy them as a mid-morning or late-afternoon snack, but make sure your pistachios are au natural. No pistachio ice cream isn’t a good substitute – even if it does taste good.
References:
Science Blog. “Fat found in pistachios may not be readily absorbed by the body”
The Times of India. “Pistachios pip pretzel as a weight-loss snack”
Calorie Count at About.com
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Healthy Snacking: 5 Bad Snack Habits to Avoid
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