APG holds session on pistachios

Hyderabad: The Indian office of American Pistachios Growers (APG) organized a knowledge session here to talk about the nutrition properties in pistachios.

The session especially focused on a recent study conducted by Cornell University and published in the journal Nutrients that found that pistachios have a high antioxidant capacity. In fact, the antioxidant capacity of pistachios rivals that of popular antioxidant-containing foods, including blueberries, pomegranates, cherries and red wine. The researchers used the two different methods to measure the antioxidant potential of pistachios and found that pistachios have very high level of antioxidant activities.

Naini Setalvad, renowned Nutritionist, wellness expert and a columnist, commented "Antioxidant rich food helps protect healthy cells from free radical damage, and proteins are like the building blocks that help with muscle regeneration and repair. The best part, pistachios have both these powers".

There were times when pistachios were used as a garnish on desserts, biryanis etc. Now people are becoming more aware of the amazing health benefits of American pistachios and adding them to their daily diets, he added.

Sumit Saran, In-Country Marketing Representative of American Pistachios Growers remarked: "We have seen tremendous demand for American pistachios, as people are getting more aware. They are great as a snack or as an ingredient.