> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Pistachios Nutrition: Pistachios may help prevent diabetes mellitus - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/pistachios_nutrition_0817140726/ - Published: 2014-08-17T08:25:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T16:10:23.000Z - Description: In a crossover trial, 54 people with prediabetes ate a diet with 57 grams of pistachios a day for four months and lowered fasting glucose, insulin and insulin resistance compared with the control diet, alongside gains in several cardiometabolic markers. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import Sunday Aug 17, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new trial reveals one more of pistachios health benefits, that is, eating the tree nuts may help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The trial shows that people with prediabetes decreased insulin resistance and fasting glucose and improved a range of cardiometabolic biomarkers during the period they followed a diet with pistachios. In the study conducted between Sept, 2011 and Feb 2013, 54 prediabetics followed two isocaloric diets in a crossover manner, one supplemented with 57 grams of pistachios a day and the other without each for 4 months. The study diet contained 50% carbohydrates and 35% fat while the control diet contained 55% carbohydrates and 30% fat. Between the diets, there was a 2-week washout period. Eating the diet supplemented with pistachios, subjects significantly decreased fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA of insulin resistance, compared to the control diet. Cellular glucose uptake was also decreased by 78%. Other cardiometablic risk biomarkers such as fibrinogen, oxidized low density lipoprotein cholesterol, platelet factor 4 was reduced significantly when the pistachio diet was consumed. The pistachio-supplemented diet also improved some other metabolic biomarkers such as interlekin-6, resistin, and glucagon-like peptide-1. The trial suggests that pistachios have a glucose- and insulin lowering effect and improve metabolic profile and potentially prevent the progression of prediabetes into full-blown type 2 diabetes mellitus. The trial was conducted by Monica Mullo at Universitari Hospital of Sant Joan de Reus, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain and colleagues. *Hernández-Alonso P, Salas-Salvadó J, Baldrich-Mora M, Juanola-Falgarona M, Bulló M. Beneficial Effect of Pistachio Consumption on Glucose Metabolism, Insulin Resistance, Inflammation, and Related Metabolic Risk Markers: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Diabetes Care. 2014 Aug 14.* Pistachios Health Benefits Quite a few previous studies have already revealed that pistachios significantly reduced levels of LDL cholesterol while increasing serum antioxidants including lutein, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol. In rats, a diet with 20% calories from pistachios increased the beneficial high density lipoprotein cholesterol, but did not lower LDL cholesterol although reducing LDL oxidation. Pistachios may also process an antibacterial effect against pathogens in the intestinal tract as shown in early studies. Pistachios Nutrition Pistachios contain a range of vitamins including vitamin A equivalent (luteinn zeaxanthin), thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, folate (B9) and a bit vitamin C, and minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Particularly at high levels are vitamin B1, vitamin B6, manganese, and phosphorus. Like many other tree nuts, pistachios contain high fat, high fat, and relatively low carbohydrates. Pistachios calories 100 grams of psitachios or 3.5 oz contain 571 kcal. (David Liu, PHD)