Adding Pistachios To High-Carb Meals Reduces Glycemic Response, Heart Disease Risk

Canadian researchers studying the metabolic impact of pistachios have found that eating pistachios during a high-carbohydrate meal may reduce the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease. For one study, 10 healthy adults were fed 28 g, 56 g and 84 g of pistachios alone or with white bread. A second study examined the impact of 56 g of pistachios eaten with various foods (i.e., rice, mashed potatoes, bread, etc.) on postprandial glycemia. The researchers found that higher doses of pistachios significantly reduced the relative glycemic responses (RGRs) of the foods. “The beneficial effects of pistachios on postprandial glycemia could be part of the mechanism by which nuts reduce the risk of diabetes and CHD,” the researchers concluded.