Nuts are often avoided by those following low-fat or low-calorie diets. After all, 1 cup of shelled pistachios have 702 calories, 67% of which are from fat. Recent research has suggested, though, that the type of fat as well as other substances found in nuts may actually improve heart health, insulin sensitivity, and help with weight loss.
Saturated fat is known to contribute to increases in blood cholesterol levels and inflammation, which can lead to heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fats, found mostly in full fat dairy products and fatty meats but also in coconut and palm oils, be limited to 5-6% of total daily calories for those at risk for heart disease. All nuts also contain some saturated fat, but most of the fat in nuts is the healthier monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats.
A newly published experimental study tested the effect of pistachio nuts on markers of heart health. Twenty-eight healthy men and women who had elevated levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL, associated with an increased risk of heart disease), were assigned to 1 of 3 diets: a low fat diet (25% of calories from fat), a moderate fat pistachio diet (30% of calories from fat with 10% of calories coming from pistachios), and a moderate fat high pistachio diet (34% of calories from fat with 20% of calories from pistachios). All food was provided to ensure compliance, and neither researchers nor subjects knew who was on which diet. All diets provided the appropriate number of calories for each subject to maintain their weight, and 8% of calories came from saturated fat. Diets were followed in a randomized order for 4 weeks, with a 2 week break between each diet.
As compared with the low fat diet, the pistachio diets showed a significant reduction in small and dense LDLs and triglycerides, both of which are markers for heart disease. The ratio of triglycerides to HDL (high density lipoprotein) was improved, suggesting an improvement in insulin resistance. The greatest reduction was observed in those consuming 20% of calories from pistachio nuts.
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So should you break out the nuts? Yes, as long as you are mindful of reducing calories elsewhere. According to this study, a person eating 2000 calories a day to maintain their weight would need to eat over 1/2 cup of pistachios a day to achieve these benefits, which would provide 400 calories. These calories would need to be eliminated elsewhere in the diet to avoid weight gain.
Holligan, Simone, et al. “A Moderate-Fat Diet with Pistachios Lowers Small-Dense LDL and Improves Markers of Insulin Sensitivity in Subjects with Moderately-Elevated Cholesterol Levels.” FASEB JOURNAL. Vol. 27. 9650 ROCKVILLE PIKE, BETHESDA, MD 20814-3998 USA: FEDERATION AMER SOC EXP BIOL, 2013.