Pistachios: A Healthy Snacking Option For Moms Of All Ages

In a world full of rising number of health-conscious consumers, choosing to snack on pistachios is a great way to keep a check on your health trajectory.

Healthful and mindful eating has been consciously gaining momentum in the past few years. The art of snacking right can be tricky for everyone, but even more so for working mothers who are juggling a lot on their plates. Strapped with the responsibility of managing a life at work as well as at home, as a mom needs that energy and nutrients, making mindful choices definitely help in the long run. So, what kind of foods would help you ride down the path of productivity? Choosing junk foods (though sometimes more convenient) loaded with refined sugars, trans fats, etc. aren’t your answer ladies. This is because they would not provide the much-needed mid-morning boost to enhance both physical and mental well-being for the rest of the day. A good nutrient rich food to choose, that contain antioxidants, vitamins, good fats and more, that are nutty flavourful and yummy, would be nuts – pistachios. Pistachios are one such nutritious snack that can help busy moms bridge the hunger between meals.

Beat your mid-meal hunger pangs with pistachios

Pistachios make for a tasty, healthy snack suitable for whole consumption to beat those mid-meal hunger pangs. You can keep them handy for a post breakfast snack, and for that energy boost to get you going in your day. They also work well in the evenings, between your lunches and dinners – easy to carry, nutty, satiating, and yummy. Pistachios give you more than twice as many nuts per serving as almonds or even cashews! You get more pistachios per serving about 49 pistachios, compared to 23 almonds or 18 cashews. The act of de-shelling pistachios helps be more mindful and enjoy the process, which also adds to satisfaction and fullness after eating.

Health benefits of pistachios

Nuts have come a long way. Today, they are considered an ideal standalone snack and a good source of fibre, containing three grams of fibre per serving. Nuts are always a great way to boost nutrient intake as well as health and are good sources of many macros and micronutrients. Pistachios make for a great alternative to snacks high in added sugars and saturated fat. This is because they offer a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. About 1-2 servings a day is enough to enjoy the benefits of pistachios. The American Diabetes Association has deemed nuts as a ‘diabetes superfood’, which also makes pistachios a good on-the-go snack for people with diabetes.

Protein rich and low in calories

As common snack foods are often high in saturated fats and added sugars, they can be harmful for one’s health. By helping you fight away unnecessary food cravings, pistachios can become a part of your daily and your special diet without disturbing your food intake or your regime, making a satisfying snack choice. Here’s how:

Pistachios contain six grams of plant protein per serving making it ideal for those watching their weight or those who have perhaps turned to veganism.
If you are following particular type of diet, then you can easily enjoy 30 pistachios for about 100 calories, making it for a delicious snack that offers both crunch and seasoning.
Munching solely on nuts can be fun, but you can dial up the fun and health quotient by pairing them with fruit, dried fruit, add to your salads, smoothies, etc.

In a world full of rising number of health-conscious consumers, choosing to snack on pistachios is a great way to keep a check on your health trajectory. Mothers are often deemed as the gatekeepers of a family’s food consumption. To this effect, you must remember that if you make the healthy choice of including snacks such as premium quality pistachios into your daily diet, then you are ultimately enabling your family, especially the kids, towards healthy habits.

(This article is authored by Minacshi Pettukola, Nutritionist, California Pistachios)