What is pistachio

Pistachio is a nutritious nut and a member of the cashew family that originated from central Asia and the middle east, and some countries are famous for exporting it.

The genus Pistacia L. consists of 11 or more tree and shrub species belonging to the Anacardiaceae, family. Pistacia vera L. is the only commercially-important species within this genus with nuts large enough to be consumed. The center of diversity of P. vera is northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan and parts of Afghanistan. Botanically, pistachio fruits are semidry drupes composed of a fleshy excerpt and monocarp (pericarp or hull), and a hard endocarp (shell) containing the edible kernel. Pistachio is a wind pollinated dioecious tree with apetalous pistillate and staminate inflorescences on separate female and male trees. Currently pistachio cultivation is expanding in Iran, the USA, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, China, Tunisia and many other countries

The Shape and Taste

Pistachios are nutritious nuts that are sorted based on the shape of their shell into two categories: Open-mouth and Closed-mouth. The open-mouth pistachios are higher in price, value, and demand than the closed-mouth pistachios.

There are many types of pistachios, depending on the type and place of growth; they have different sizes, colors, and flavors. Depending on the shape of the pistachio, it can be divided into three general categories: round, long, and jumbo Long pistachios have a narrower split than the other two, and the round and jumbo type have a much clearer split than the semi-closed one. Fig 1 shows a summary of pistachios’ different types

different types of pistachios:

S:Kerman,platinum,pioneer gold,jolry,red allepo,
Iran: Akbari, Ahmad Aghaii, Fandoughi, and Kalehghouchi
Syria: Red Aleppo
Turkey: Uzun and Kirmizi Sicily: Napoletana, Siirt
Australia: Sirora

Pistachio varieties from some other countries are meant to have better taste than the ones grown in California (especially Kerman pistachio from Iran).

Pistachio taste can be influenced by:

Genetic diversity in sugar, oils and other constituents of the nut
By climate and cultural practices that affect nut size, for instance.

Maintenance method

The best way to store nuts is to store them in the freezer to prevent aflatoxin from growing on the surface of the seeds and kernels.

5 Culinary Uses of Pistachios

The kernels are often eaten whole, either fresh or roasted and salted, and are also used in:

As a snack.
Over salads.
Ground into sauces. …
Added to bread dough. …
confections such as baklava,
Yogurt
Nut butter

History

Pistachios have been part of the human diet since prehistoric times and have been consumed by past civilizations because of their nutritional and potential disease-management properties.

Native to the Middle East, the pistachio tree is one of the oldest flowering nut trees. Archeological records of early human pistachio consumption in Turkey date back to as early as 7,000 B.C. Flourishing in hot climates, pistachio trees spread from the Middle East to the Mediterranean,

Pistachio, native to West Asia, Asia Minor, a place that still grows occasionally, can be found in the hot and dry conditions of Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iran, Iraq, India and southern Europe, and the desert farms of Asia and Africa.

Pistachios were imported to Europe early in the Gregorian calendar. The first introduction of pistachios to the United States by the USDA (Plant Identification Service) in 1890 budget. In 1904, he arrived in California as Prime Minister at the Gia Mall in Chicago, northern Sacramento, California.

Benefits

Health is an important pillar of human life and the pistachio is among the nuts which have an impact on human health

CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
control blood pressure
help lower blood sugar
GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND TYPE 2 DIABETES
WEIGHT CONTROL

nuts such as pistachio have many beneficial effects on health, and can be used for controlling different diseases. It seems that the pistachio may have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, and anti-proliferation effects and may be recommended for the prevention, improvement, or treatment of diseases such as diabetes, CVD, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), cancer, and MS.

Loaded with nutrients

with a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of about 49 pistachios containing the following:

Calories: 159
Carbs: 8 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Fat: 13 grams (90% are unsaturated fats)
Potassium: 6% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Phosphorus: 11% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 28% of the RDI
Thiamine: 21% of the RDI
Copper: 41% of the RDI
Manganese: 15% of the RDI

pistachios are one of the most vitamin B6-rich foods .

They also pack quite a punch of potassium. In fact, a 2-ounce serving has more potassium than a large banana and as much fiber as a cup of cooked broccoli.

Exporting pistachios

In 2014, Iran was recognized as the largest exporter of this product in the world with more than 191 thousand tons of exports. The United States also became the world’s second largest pistachio exporter in 2014, exporting about 138,000 tons. Turkey is the third largest exporter of pistachios in the world. Turkey ranked third in the world in 2014, risking about 3,000 tons and exporting

In 2018, the global production of pistachios was about 1.4 million tons.

Iran and the United States as leading producers, together 72% of the total (table). another producers were Turkey, China, and Syria.