Storage

As pistachios ripen, the end will split and expose the meat; pistachios have a limited shelf life once the meat is exposed. Store pistachios in an airtight container to maintain freshness; keep the airtight container in the refrigerator. Once stored in the refrigerator, pistachios will keep for up to three months.

If long term storage is needed, pistachios will keep in the freezer for up to one year.

Nutrition

The word fat does not have good connotation; the categorizing of fats into good and bad, seems confusing. Good and bad fats are technically known as saturated and unsaturated fats. The difference between the two is the effect on the body. Saturated fats, which are found in processed foods, stay solid at room temperature and raise your cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and lower your bad cholesterol.

Ready for the good news? Unsaturated fats are found in nuts, avocados, and olives. That’s right, pistachios contain the good fat and taste amazing!

Pistachios as a treatment for cardiovascular disease? Apparently so! Sarah K. Gebauer, a Pennsylvania State University Grad Student, conducted a study on the effects of pistachios in the diet of people who have higher cholesterol levels. Ms. Gebauer had her volunteers switch to low fat diets but one group ate 3 ounces of pistachios daily, another had 1.5 ounces, and the final group did not eat any pistachios. After four weeks on the diet the results were astonishing:

“three ounces of pistachios reduced the amounts of total cholesterol in the blood by 8.4 percent and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called "bad" cholesterol, by 11.6 percent. The study also found that non-high density lipoproteins (non-HDL) decreased by 11.2 percent. Non-HDL levels are considered reliable predictors of cardiovascular disease risk.” 1

Not only are pistachios delicious and contain healthy fat, pistachios can help restore your health!

Pistachios also contain eight different nutrients: copper, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium.2, potassium, and phosphorus.2 Pistachios contain antioxidents, which help us look youthful, and are recommended for lower carbohydrate diets.