Feb 2, 2021Pistachio could contribute to weight loss, study says
Some good news for pistachio growers in New Mexico. According to a study published in the July 2020 issue of Nutrients, adding U.S. pistachios to your diet can contribute to weight loss and may contribute to other health benefits like lowering blood pressure.
According to PR Newswire, some scientific studies have shown pistachios are helpful in maintaining a healthy weight, or will not cause weight gain, but this is the first study to examine the role of pistachios as part of a weight-loss plan.
According to the same news release, researchers at the University of California, San Diego investigated whether U.S. pistachios could be used as part of a weight-loss program in a study with 100 healthy, overweight, and obese individuals. The study participants received general dietary and behavioral weight loss advice and instruction on ways to increase their physical activity. The study says half of the participants included 1.5 ounces of pistachios in their daily diet (Pistachio group) and the other half did not (Control group). Researchers then measured the participants’ health information, diet, and lab tests for cardiovascular disease risk at the beginning and end of the 4-month study.
According to the study, eating pistachios was associated with increased dietary fiber intake and decreased consumption of sweets and regular consumption of pistachios was associated with a comparable degree of weight loss, and similar reductions in BMI and waist circumference, in overweight or obese men and women compared to controls.
Alamogordo is home to New Mexico’s largest pistachio monument. The McGinn’s Pistachio Tree Ranch contains over 12,500 pistachio trees according to New Mexico True.
