Pistachio Consumption at 20% of Energy Does Not Significantly Change Body Composition, Blood Pressure or Blood Lipids but Improves Diet Quality in FreeLiving, Healthy College-Aged Women.

Burns-Whitmore B, Bushnell AH, Towne AH, Roy S, Hall LM.

Food Nutr J. 2017. 2:130.

This study investigated the effect of pistachios on blood lipids, erythrocyte membrane incorporation of fatty acids, weight, body composition, and blood pressure in healthy college aged women. The study was a randomized, free-living crossover design with two 10-week treatment periods; pistachios added (20% of kcals), and a no pistachio control treatment with a 15 week washout period.

In the pistachio treatment, dietary energy, dietary total fat, vegetable protein, total MUFA, total PUFA, insoluble dietary fiber, gamma tocopherol, and copper were all significantly higher than the control. The investigators concluded that adding 20% of kcals as pistachios did not contribute to weight gain, body fat or lipid changes, but may increase diet quality in healthy women.