Nuts are a favorite keto snack among many. They are delicious and contain high-fat content while being low in carbs. Most Nuts can fit in any low-carb diet, however, those on a stricter low-carb diet such as the ketogenic diet can benefit from nuts particularly low in carbs.
If you are on the keto diet and wondering if you can eat pistachios, keep reading. The keto diet has become popular all over the world. its core principles are the reduction of daily carbs intake to below 20g of net carbs per day and consuming about 70% of calories from fat.
Nuts are rich in healthy fats, proteins, and fiber. The fat and fiber content can help you improve satiety keeping you full longer which leads to consumption of fewer calories leading to weight loss.
The Pistachio nut is one of my favorite nuts while on the keto diet. It contains more than 10% of the Daily Value of recommended fiber intake. Pistachios also contain essential vitamins and minerals such as B1, B6, phosphorus, and copper. The oil found in Pistachio is also rich in omega-6 fats.
You can buy pistachio nuts on amazon for about $10
Is Pistachio Keto-friendly?
Pistachio can be considered keto-friendly. if consumed in moderate amounts due to their high carb content compared to other nuts. To determine whether pistachios are keto-approved we have to look at the nutritional facts and added ingredients.
Pistachio Nutritional Facts – per 1 oz serving /49 pistachios
- 159 calories
- 7.7 grams of carbohydrates
- 5.7 grams protein
- 12.9 grams of fat
- 3 grams of fiber
- 291 milligrams potassium
As you can see from the nutritional facts of pistachios they are high in calories, however, most of these calories come from healthy fats and proteins. Since pistachios contain 7.7 g per serving they are keto-friendly.
Are Iranian Pistachio Nuts Keto Friendly?
If you love pistachios, chances are you have heard of Iranian Pistachios. These pistachios are famous for their heavy unique flavor, high amounts of unsaturated oil, and healthy fats. This makes the Iranian pistachios varieties the best for low-carb diets such as keto.
How can pistachios help people who take low-carb diets?
While on a low-carb diet such as keto, carbs are cut out to force the body to switch to a metabolic state known as ketosis, where the body converts stored body fat into ketones, which are then used as fuel by the brain and body.
This sudden change in diet often causes side effects such as keto flu or keto diarrhoea. Pistachios can help manage these side effects in the following ways.
Health Benefits of Pistachio in a Keto Diet
Rich source of dietary fiber
Pistachios are a great source of dietary fiber, which provide many health benefits including improving digestion, and gut health. Dietary fiber has also been linked to reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.
Protects you against disease
Pistachios are a good source of antioxidants. Free radical particles from our diets or the environment can cause cellular damage, leading to increased chances of disease.
Antioxidants play a vital role in protecting the cells from damage from the free radicals and also help reduce the chances of diseases.
Reduces inflammation
Chronic Inflammation is considered an indicator of disease in the body. These nuts are rich in fatty acids, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
. That has been linked to the reduction of inflammation in the body making pistachios the perfect snack for people with inflammation issues.
Quicker weight loss
Pistachios can contribute to your weight loss by helping you manage your hunger and cravings. The nuts are nutritious, tasty, and filling. The high amount of fiber they contain helps to keep you feeling fuller longer, therefore, consuming fewer calories. Which results in weight loss.
How to eat pistachios on keto
As mentioned earlier, pistachios have a high amount of carbs compared to other nuts and should therefore be eaten in moderation. You can enjoy these salty, delicious snacks with a tangy flavor plain or with tea and coffee. You can also integrate pistachio extract into your keto recipes, one of the best way is to make nut butters.
Remember to keep the carb counts while on keto leaving enough carb allowance for other meals of the day. This is very important as pistachios have 7.7g of carbs per serving making it very easy to get over the 20g of carbs recommend on keto.
Low carb Nuts alternative
Hazelnuts are rich in fats, fiber, manganese, and essential vitamins such as vitamin E and Vitamin K. You can easily incorporate these nuts into any low carb diet since they only have 2 grams of net carbs per ounce (28 grams) of serving. Furthermore, hazelnuts contain amino acids called L-arginine which is a precursor to Nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide is a molecule that is known to promote heart health by dilating blood vessels, which improves blood circulation and lowers blood pressure. Lastly, Hazelnuts are an amazing source of dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats
which helps improve heart health.
Are one of the best nuts for keto. they only contain 6 grams of total carbs with 4g of net carbs. Peanuts also contain antioxidants including resveratrol. This antioxidant has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease certain cancers and cognition decline, especially in old age. Peanuts contain numerous vital nutrients which include copper, phosphorus, folate, vitamin E, zinc, and magnesium.
Peanuts can be found incorporated into many popular diets due to their mild flavor. great taste and a rich source of plant protein. A single serving of peanuts contains 7 grams of protein
Other keto-friendly nuts you can incorporate as part of your keto diet include:
- Almonds
- pine nuts
- Pecans
- Macadamia Nuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Walnuts
- Pili nuts
Summary
These nuts are very nutritious with many essential vitamins and minerals. Even thou they are a little high in carbs compared to some of the other nut alternatives listed above. You can enjoy pistachio while on the keto diet in moderation, remember to count the carbs.
