Pistachios, a favorite decoration of many, especially eastern desserts, are nuts that grow on small trees, and that originally came from the southern part of Turkestan. They have been grown for four millennia throughout the whole Mediterranean basin. Several kinds of pistachios exist, and their trees are divided into male and female (like Kiwi trees).

Pistachios are usually sold salted as a snack food, but they can also be used as ingredients for Turkish delights, cakes (as a replacement for walnuts), various creams, fruit salads, etc.

The flavor of these nuts is very delicate, but when cooked, that gentle aroma is somewhat lost, even though, their vibrant color remains.

Pistachios are not only pretty and delicious, but they’re also very healthy. It is considered that 100g of pistachios contain 107mg of calcium (essential for bone and teeth development), 121mg of magnesium, 490mg of phosphorus, and even 1.025mg of potassium (essential for body detoxification). Pistachios are also rich in microelements: iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamin C (5 mg), as well as folate, vitamin A (28μg), vitamin E (4.6μg), and amino acids.

However, pistachios are high in calories, 100g contains 557 calories or 2.332kJ because they contain a lot of fat (44.4mg) and carbohydrates (27.97mg), but they also contain proteins (20.61mg) and dietary fiber (10.3mg).