This benefit of pistachios was widely unknown for years and now it is at the forefront of many researcher’s minds.
The key to a great night’s sleep is naturally found in our bodies and it’s called melatonin.
Pistachios could offer this key ingredient that helps humans fall asleep and wake up feeling more rested.
So will pistachio nuts help you sleep?
Yes. The miracle nut also is known as pistachios, can help people fall asleep faster so there is no more tossing and turning.
There is melatonin in pistachios. Melatonin is a wildly used natural drug that has helped people fall asleep for years. It is naturally found in our brain.
Melatonin benefits include:
- Prepares the body for a good night’s rest
- Naturally signals the rest of the body to relax
- Antioxidant benefits
- Reduce jet-lag
- Minimize the time it takes to fall asleep
- More sleep at night
Pistachios have shown to contain the highest amount of melatonin compared to most other foods and nuts.
Since there is melatonin in pistachios, it is very likely they can help someone fall asleep.
Are Pistachios High in Melatonin?
According to this study, pistachios have some of the highest numbers of present melatonin.
Per gram, pistachios contain around 228,400 nano-grams of melatonin.
Compared to other nuts like walnuts, pistachios have thousands of more nano-grams of melatonin.
Comparatively, just about no other food has this much melatonin in it. In this study, they observed rice, beans, and various meats and nothing compared to the pistachio nut.
There is virtually no comparison to other foods. This high concentration of melatonin in pistachios can potentially make someone sleepier. Besides the sleep benefits, melatonin may also have other beneficial qualities.
When Should You Eat Pistachios Before Bed?
When trying to incorporate pistachios into a diet, it can be difficult to know when is the right time to try this snack.
In general, pistachios should not be eaten while in bed or moments before.
It is important to try not to eat anything right before bed otherwise it may not digest completely.
The best time to eat pistachios would be around 2 to 3 hours before bed.
This guarantees that the human body can digest and process the pistachios. This way, the melatonin is working an hour before bed and naturally, the body will relax.
As people get older, their melatonin naturally decreases. According to the figure, melatonin increases just before puberty.
This can cause insomnia and sleep problems to become more likely as someone ages.
Eating pistachios throughout the day may also affect the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
For example, a serving of pistachios at noon may increase the likelihood of a much needed afternoon nap.
In turn, this could potentially throw off the entire day and produce a restless night’s sleep. That is if someone is not used to taking a nap during the day.
For most people who work away from home, the temptation of an afternoon nap may be torturous.
Incorporating pistachios into the diet can naturally boost melatonin in the human body and create natural assist to circadian rhythms.
Circadian rhythms fluctuate throughout the day but various factors can suppress their effect.
Maintaining a consistent rhythm can be the difference between waking up rejuvenated or completely exhausted. If someone is having trouble sleeping, then chances are melatonin could be virtually non-existent in their system.
Melatonin usually begins to rise in the early evening and then falls drastically when we wake up.
Below is a graph showing the rise and fall of melatonin throughout the day.
Pistachios about 2 to 3 hours before bed can help the natural levels of melatonin increase to prepare for a night’s sleep.
Around 8 pm would be an ideal time to eat a small serving of pistachios.
How Many Pistachios Should You Eat in A Day?
The suggested number of pistachios to consume per day may range from person to person.
A good guideline would be about a handful of pistachios per day.
Usually, no more than this is suggested.
Consuming too many nuts including pistachios per day can lead to complications with digestion and potential weight gain.
Consuming the right amount of pistachios can have significant benefits to heart health.
Overall, many studies have shown that a serving of pistachios a day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Besides this, pistachios can also help improve the amount of good cholesterol and reduce the amount of bad cholesterol.
Adjusting and improving these numbers can have lifetime health impacts.
That being said, about one-ounce of pistachios is suggested. This is around 160 to 200 calories, which is a great snack size between meals. Besides, pistachios have an array of health benefits and can keep someone full.
One ounce of pistachios is the suggested serving.
One ounce roughly equates to about 49 nuts.
Compared to other nuts, more pistachios can be eaten in the same amount of calories. In the same serving, only about 18 walnuts could be consumed or 18 cashews.
Pistachios could leave you feeling much fuller longer without reducing the number of actual nuts.
Does Melatonin Have Other Health Benefits Besides Helping Sleep?
In terms of other health benefits, new studies are starting to reveal promising findings.
Melatonin has been recently linked to healthier heart function. These include preventative benefits like reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Melatonin also has strong antioxidant abilities that help fight against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can cause a variety of health issues like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
These benefits of melatonin are all found naturally inside of pistachios.
Overall, melatonin has a variety of benefits. These health benefits can have a long term impact on well being and can change the course of one’s health.
What Are Other Health Benefits of Pistachios?
Besides containing large amounts of melatonin, pistachios have other health benefits.
Some health benefits of pistachios include:
- Improving metabolism
- Feeling fuller longer; potential for weight control
- Reduction in blood pressure
- Improve cardiovascular health
Improving metabolism can also have a positive effect on controlling and preventing diabetes.
This study shows that reducing bad cholesterol and maintain a healthy level is important to manage type 2 diabetes.
Pistachios are proven to help reduce levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase levels of good cholesterol.
Increasing metabolic rate can be accomplished by incorporating pistachios into the diet.
The ability of pistachios to potentially help improve metabolism could be of benefit for those who suffer from type 2 diabetes.
Lastly, pistachios offer a wide variety of vitamins like vitamin E. As stated before, vitamin E helps combat oxidative stress and can improve multiple functions in the body.
Is it Better to Naturally Consume Melatonin by Eating Pistachios?
Whether melatonin is being purused by consuming through pistachios or through a pill, both should be consulted with a primary care doctor.
Melatonin is a naturally found chemical in our body that helps regulate sleep and wake cycles and you should take proper medical advice when purposely chasing a melatonin top up.
That aside just adding pistachios into the diet can encourage a natural sleep cycle.
Besides, pistachios are a great healthy snack that tastes incredible so why not add them to your diet?
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.