Abstract
Pistachio nuts are a nutrient-dense source of good quality plant protein, commonly consumed as a minimally processed snack food or ingredient. The present paper is based on a symposium held during the 13th FENS (Federation of European Nutrition Societies) 2019 conference in Dublin that explored recent research and practical applications of pistachios as a plant-based snack, in particular, for appetite control and healthy weight management; and for glycaemic control during pregnancy. Individual nut types, whilst similar in nutritional composition, have unique characteristics which may have a significant impact on potential health effects. Recognising this, the further purpose here is to explore future research needs for pistachios, based on work completed to date and the discussion that ensued among researchers at this event, in order to advance the full scope of health benefits from pistachios, in particular, taking into account of both sustainability and nutritional health.
Highlights
Research on the health benefits of nuts is extensive and supports their regular inclusion in the diet[1,2,3,4,5,6]
The present paper focuses on topics relevant to the FENS 2019 theme (Malnutrition in an obese world), which were presented as new research findings and subsequently published[8,9]
A study conducted in Chinese women[9] investigated the specific role of pistachios in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using a randomised, controlled, cross-over design to assess the acute effect of pistachio intake on post-prandial glucose, insulin and gut-derived incretin hormones (GLP-1, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)) in comparison to an isoenergetic test meal of whole wheat bread (WWB)
Summary
Research on the health benefits of nuts is extensive and supports their regular inclusion in the diet[1,2,3,4,5,6]. Growing clinical and epidemiological research supports the specific health benefits of pistachio consumption They have been shown to improve diet quality[25,26] and provide bioactive compounds with recognised properties for cardiovascular health[27,28], weight management (Table 2) and glycaemic control[9,11,29]. Long-term dietary approaches for combatting obesity, whilst limiting energy intakes, must accommodate adequate micronutrient needs and ideally fit with 21st-century sustainability goals Tree nuts, such as pistachios, contribute to better nutrient adequacy and diet quality[25,26], providing good protein quality[16] and micronutrients.
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