Are pistachios the right choice for you?
Pistachios are healthy, but there are times or situations in which they are even more beneficial. Would you like to find out whether pistachios are particularly beneficial as part of a vegetarian diet or for diabetics? Would you like to know whether individuals with allergies should avoid pistachios? The answers to these questions are here.
Are you a vegetarian?
If you don't eat meat or fish, then you should make sure you compensate for potential protein, mineral and vitamin deficiencies with other foods. Pistachios are a good source of vitamin B6, which is among the nutrients often not sufficiently available within a vegetarian diet. They are also ideally suited to supplement a vegetarian or vegan diet thanks to their high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids. They can be consumed either as a snack on their own, or as an ingredient of tasty vegetarian meals.
Are pistachios suitable for diabetics?
Pistachios are naturally rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, making them a perfect snack for diabetics following recommended dietary guidelines.
Do you have allergies?
Even though every fourth person in Germany claims to have a food allergy, the actual number is much lower. In most cases, the condition in question is a food intolerance, which can have a number of causes. Real food allergies are mostly triggered by cow's milk, protein, wheat, fruit and nuts. Some foods contain substances such as histamine, serotonin or tyramine, which can also trigger allergic reactions.
Sometimes people experience pseudo-allergic reactions after certain foods, which are actually a direct reaction to histamine, and not to an allergen. In other cases, cross-allergies - for instance with other allergens like pollen - may arise. This is why it is often difficult to tie a food allergy to a specific trigger. Incidentally, most nut allergies are peanut allergies.
If you believe you are allergic to pistachios or any other nuts, then you should consult a doctor and clarify whether this is indeed the case. If the result is positive, then you should analyse your diet plan and remove the particular food item from your diet for several weeks to identify which substance is actually causing the negative reaction. If you do have a nut allergy, then you should avoid the particular nut entirely. This also applies to traces of nuts in other foods.