If there is a treasure trove of plant nutrition, it must be nuts. Nuts, also known as hard nuts, are rich in nutrients in most varieties, and pistachios are among the best. A small pistachio nut contains at least the following 8 beneficial substances:

　　1. Oleic acid

　　oleic acid is the most important A monounsaturated fatty acid that is not common or low in daily fats or other foods. Compared with the polyunsaturated fatty acids commonly found in daily fats or foods-linoleic acid and linolenic acid, oleic acid has better health benefits: it can lower blood total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) -C, belonging to "bad" cholesterol, is the primary causative agent of atherosclerosis), and can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, belonging to "good" cholesterol, which helps prevent atherosclerosis Occurrence and development), and is therefore considered to be the most beneficial fatty acid for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. Olive oil is all the rage because of its high proportion of oleic acid, but few people seem to know that pistachios also contain more oleic acid, which accounts for more than half of the fat contained in pistachios.

　　2. Vitamin E

　　 If high content of oleic acid makes pistachios “unique” in daily nuts, rich in vitamin E Then make the pistachios and most nuts "in one piece". Most nuts including pistachios (except chestnuts, lotus seeds and other high-starch varieties) are rich in vitamin E. Among nuts, vitamin E, which has a strong antioxidant effect, can protect unsaturated fatty acids from being oxidized (deterioration, also known as "rancidity"); in the human body, the antioxidant effect of vitamin E helps delay aging , Skin maintenance, anti-atherosclerosis, etc.

　　3. Proanthocyanidin

　　Proanthocyanidin (OPC) is the main functional ingredient of the famous grape seed (extract), it is used in pistachios, especially happy Fruit purplish red fruit coat is also rich in content. The antioxidant effect of proanthocyanidins can be described as outstanding. Among the various natural antioxidants that have been confirmed at present, its ability to scavenge free radicals (antioxidation) in the human body may be the strongest. The study found that proanthocyanidins have blood lipid lowering, blood pressure lowering, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-cancer, anti-radiation, anti-allergic, cataract prevention, etc.

　　4. Lutein

　　 Pistachio emerald green nuts are rich in lutein. Lutein is a member of the carotenoid family. It is a close relative of the same family as well-known antioxidants such as β-carotene and lycopene. It also has a strong antioxidant effect. Among the studies on the effect of lutein, the most remarkable thing is its protective effect on the retina (against retinal maculopathy). Based on this, it is speculated that it has special benefits in preventing oxidative eye diseases such as cataracts.

　　5. Resveratrol

　　Pistachios contain a certain amount of resveratrol. When it comes to resveratrol, you have to talk about red wine, because resveratrol is one of the healthful material basis of red wine. Resveratrol is also one of the famous natural antioxidants, which can scavenge free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation. In addition to protecting the cardiovascular system, resveratrol also has various effects such as improving immunity, anti-cancer, anti-virus, and anti-aging.

　　6. Quercetin

　　 pistachios also contain a certain amount of quercetin. Quercetin is a flavonoid. It is rich in onions, green onions, garlic sprouts and other vegetables and has a strong antioxidant effect.

　　It is precisely because pistachios contain the above-mentioned vitamin E, proanthocyanidins, lutein, resveratrol and quercetin and other antioxidant components, and tests (US Department of Agriculture) have shown that pistachios as a whole The antioxidant effect exceeds that of common nuts such as almonds and cashews, and even exceeds that of green tea.

　　7. Phytosterol

　　Like soybeans, pistachios contain more phytosterols. Plant sterols are also called plant sterols. As the name implies, it is a type of substance that exists in plants with a molecular structure similar to cholesterol. However, unlike cholesterol derived from animal foods, phytosterols do not cause atherosclerosis or give back. On the contrary, phytosterols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine "falsely," but instead help prevent dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.

　　8. Dietary fiber

　　 dietary fiber is present in almost all plant-based foods. It is effective for laxative, weight loss, cholesterol absorption reduction, heart and brain prevention Vascular diseases and type 2 diabetes and anti-cancer have good effects. Compared with other nuts, pistachios have the advantage of higher dietary fiber content. Eat 20-30 grams (not counting the weight of the shell, about 30-50 tablets). Pistachios contain 2-3 grams of dietary fiber.

　　It is worth noting that, unlike most other nuts, more than 50% of the total fat in pistachios is monounsaturated fat, most of which is oleic acid. It is an oleylethanolamine (OEA) appetite-suppressing compound, which makes you feel fuller after eating a meal and prolongs the time when you feel hungry again. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified pistachios as a healthy and qualified food. The agency said that eating 1.5 ounces (about 40 grams) of pistachios a day can reduce the risk of heart disease. Here I would like to remind you that some processors use bleach to "beauty" pistachios in order to obtain a better appearance or cover up variegated mildew spots, so pay attention to "yellow shells, purple clothes, green kernels" products when purchasing pistachios. Features, or look for natural California pistachios with the words "no bleaching and natural opening" when selecting.