Everybody’s talking about cholesterol.  Well, pistachios can help support cardiovascular management thanks to something called phytosterols (a plant sterol found abundantly in pistachios) which actually compete with cholesterol from the diet for absorption.  Due to their nutritional composition or phytonutrients package, pistachios may be unique from other nuts in their ability to elevate healthy HDL cholesterol levels, when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat.

Phytosterols—or plant sterols—are popping up everywhere on supermarket shelves. They’re being added to orange juices, margarines, yogurt and even chocolate. This comes as a result of more than 140 studies showing that plant sterols can significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. Plant sterols occur naturally in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, grain products, vegetable oils, and nuts like pistachios. Although most feeding trials use high doses of more than 2 grams of phytosterols a day, studies have shown beneficial effects of reduced cholesterol absorption at lower levels, similar to the levels found in plant-based diets with pistachios. (1)

(1) Ostlund, RE Jr., Racette, SB, & Stenson, WF (2002). Effects of trace components of dietary fat on cholesterol metabolism: phytosterols, oxysterols, and squalene. Nutr Rev, 60(11), 349-359. 2006 Food Research, Inc. 14.

While pistachios are a rich source of dietary fat (14g per 30g serving); almost 90% of the fat is the healthy unsaturated type, mono- and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fat, mostly as oleic acid, comprises 55% of the fat in pistachios. Researchers at UC Irvine recently identified an appetite-suppressing compound in oleic acid called oleoylethanolamide or OEA, which helps you feel fuller longer after a meal. (2;3)

Polyunsaturated fat, primarily linoleic acid, comprises 32% of the fat in pistachios. Linoleic acid is an omega-6 essential fatty acid that cannot be synthesized in the body, so adequate intakes are important to health. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends intakes of at least 12g of linoleic acid per day for women and 17g for men. A 30g serving (about 1 ounce) of pistachios provides 4.09g, which is 24% and 34% of the requirements for men and women, respectively.

Both of these unsaturated fats reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fats in the diet. (4)

(2) Schwartz et al. The lipid messenger OEA links dietary fat intake to satiety. Cell Metabolism, Volume 8, Issue 4, 281-288, 8 October 2008.
(3) Pistachios are comprised of three monounsaturated fatty acids; oleic - 97.3%, palmitoleic – 2% and gadoleic - 0.7%.
(4) Institute of Medicine. (2002). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.