Pistachio Oil Benefits For Your Entire Body
Pistachio nuts rank high among some of the oldest nuts available to mankind. They are mostly used for cooking and some people consider them to be a healthy alternative to carb infested snacks.
Technically, Pistachios are fruits but people prefer to call them nuts especially those who use them for cooking. These edible seeds belong to the Anacardiaceae family which also stems from the genus Pistacia. The pistachio tree takes up to 12 years before it produces its first fruit. Pistachios also fall into the Drupe category with the fruit having a large edible seed in its middle. Unlike other nuts, pistachio nuts are available all year round.
While pistachio nuts have undeniable health benefits, the oil extracted from them have turned out to be a lot more useful. In this post, we will take a look at these benefits and answer important questions related to these miracle nuts.
So is pistachio nut oil good for you? Of course yes! But before we elaborate more on this, let’s take a look at some important facts about pistachio oil that you should know first:
How is Pistachio Nut Oil Made?
Getting pistachio ready for eating is not a difficult task. However, the same cannot be said about extracting oil from it. Before we arrived at a healthy pistachio nut oil, the pistachio nuts have to undergo a rigorous process. In most cases, the oil is extracted using different pressure systems; hydraulic and a screw press. To make sure the process is accurate, the tip of the nuts are usually heated first before they are sent to the extracting press.
After the extraction process, the extracts are then transferred to a centrifuge to separate the oil from solid impurities. The oil obtained from this process is your fresh pistachio nut oil.
Nutritional Facts (Pistachio Nut Oil)
Pistachios have a well-balanced mix of nutrients. For example, a one-ounce serving of pistachios contains all of the following:
- Fat (90% are healthy)
- Calories (156)
- Carbs (8 grams)
- Phosphorus (14% of the RDI)
- Vitamin B6 ( 24% of the RDI)
- Thiamin (16% of the RDI)
- Manganese (17% of the RDI)
- Potassium
The fat and calorie content of pistachios are very low and they are equally very healthy.
Health Benefits Of Pistachio Nut Oil
Now that we have laid a foundation on the subject, let’s take a brief look at the health benefits of using pistachio nut oil.
1. Blood Sugar Regulation
When ingested, pistachio nut oil stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. Once it finds its way into the bloodstream, insulin helps to regulate blood sugar content and enhance general health.
2. For Red Blood Cell Development
One of the major nutritional contents of pistachio nut oil is vitamin B6. It is known for its important role in oxygen distribution during blood circulation. It equally facilitates the development of new cells and maintains the balance between red and white blood cells. This balance boosts body metabolism and helps to fight against diseases.
3. Weight Management
Pistachio nut oil is an excellent choice for people on a diet and. Pistachios with their high proteins, lower calories, low saturated fats, and high unsaturated fat are perfect for healthy weight management.
The Centre For Human Nutrition in California recently released a publication which confirms the weight loss properties inherent in pistachio nuts and oils.
4. Contains Powerful Anti-oxidants
Anti-oxidants play a key role in the maintenance of a healthy body. They slow down the cell-damaging processes that go on in the body and do enough to prevent killer diseases such as cancer.
Fortunately, pistachios contain more antioxidants than most nuts and seeds with only walnuts and pecans containing significantly more. Lutein and zeaxanthin are examples of the antioxidants mostly found in pistachios. They play a vital role in the maintenance of a healthy eye. They also protect the eye from the damaging effects of muscular degeneration and blue light. Other antioxidants contained in pistachios are tocopherols and polyphenols-they help in cancer and heart disease prevention.
5. Aphrodisiac Properties
Pistachio nut oils are believed to have aphrodisiac properties. The oil can be used for aromatherapy which calms the body and produces a pleasant feeling. As a result, it increases the sexual vitality of both men and women and channels more blood to their reproductive organs.
6. Boost Immunity
The presence of Vitamin B6 in pistachio nut oil means that it can boost the body’s immune system. Vitamin B6 facilitates the building of a strong immune system which in turn fight against infections threatening to invade the body.
7. Regulates Diabetes
While we have already established that pistachios can regulate blood sugar, it is important that we also highlight their ability to also control diabetes.
In people who are struggling with diabetes, the anti-oxidants contained in pistachio nut oil reduces glycation- a situation when sugars form bonds with protein and render them useless.
8. Adequate Skin Care
Pistachio and its oil are the perfect antidotes for dry skin. Fatty acids contained in the pistachio nuts or oils are instrumental to the maintenance of healthy skin. The fat also acts as base oil or carrier. This is why pistachio nut oil finds use in some traditional massage therapy routines and aromatherapy.
9. Enhances Digestion
Pistachios contain a decent amount of dietary fibre which promotes smooth digestion of food. A serving of 30 grams or one ounce of pistachios contains at least 3 grams of dietary fibre, which is more than enough to make your digestive system work at optimum levels.
Uses of Pistachio Nut Oil
Apart from the health benefits of using pistachio nut oil, there are other conventional uses of the oil which you will find interesting:
As Gourmet Oil
Pistachio nut oil can be of great use while cooking, unfortunately, it is quite expensive. However, it is used in some French recipes where it’s mixed with lemon used for salad. Chicken recipes are often topped off with a few drops of pistachio nut oil to add an extra flavour to them. In Bakeries, they are added to cookies to give them extra nutty goodness.
To get the very best out of pistachio oil, you need to use it alongside bitter greens.
As Skin Oil
When pistachio oil is added to another Mediterranean base oil (100ml olive oil), it can be used to massage the skin (mostly areas that need conditioning like elbows, ankles, and knees). The nutritional content of the pistachio oil repairs the skin from within.
As hair oil
Pistachio nut oil contains omega fatty acids and a rich base of vitamin E which are both perfect for maintaining healthy hair. Salons often use pistachio oil for hair repair when most synthetic hair products have failed to do so.
The oil can also be used to untangle knot thanks to its rich vitamin E contents. When applied to wet hair that was washed with shampoo, pistachio oil makes sure it remains shiny and full by locking the moisture in. It strengthens the hair shaft and can cut down split ends. What’s more, pistachio oil finds use in hair styling processes. Massage the hair with 5ml of pistachio nut oil first and make sure it gets to the shafts. Then use a hair straightener for styling. This can be done to make the hair wavy or invent a new hairstyle. Pistachio oil can be added to the colouring serum to give the finished hair a unique touch and oil up the hair that may have been dried up by colours.
However, you must be careful when applying pistachio oil as hair oil because they do not have a pleasant smell. The nutty aroma they give off means that your hair could smell like food if you apply too much. So, make sure you go easy on the oil whenever you choose to use it as hair oil.
Pistachio Nut Oil Smoke Point
When oil begins to produce grey-coloured smoke during cooking or heating up, then it has reached its smoke point. This point varies depending on the chemical composition of the oil and the oil type. For pistachio oil, the smoke point is usually close to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it not a good oil for high heat such as frying or grilling.
Pistachio oil is good for drizzles, dressings or dips such as tomato, feta and basil crackers seasoned with olive oil.
Top Cooking Method For Pistachio Nut Oil
Pistachio nut oil is good for a variety of cooking techniques. Its rich nutritional content means that you can use it in different recipes. Here are a few examples:
1. Dress with it
Pistachio nut oil can be used for food dressing when it is properly mixed with a sweet acid like lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses, fruit juice, etc. It particularly dresses fruit salad nicely.
2. Bake with it
Pistachio oil makes a good baking oil and it gives pastries a very nice nutty flavour.
3. Drizzle it
Drizzle pistachio oil over steamed vegetables to give it an enhanced flavour. It also makes vegetables very healthy.
4. Whip it
You can use it to make a rich pistachio mousse. Pistachio nut oil adds a delicate nutty flavour to the recipe.
Pistachio oil is very useful and have