The German health website “aponet.de” reported that pistachios have a positive effect on eye health, as they protect the eye from light damage and preserve sight, according to the results of a recent study published in the “Journal of Nutrition.”
The website, which is the official portal for German pharmacists, explained that the people participating in the study ate about 50 grams of pistachios daily for 12 weeks.
Compared to the control group that maintained its usual diet, the amount of macular pigment in the group that ate pistachios increased significantly after 6 weeks. In the control group, the amount of macular pigment remained the same throughout the period.
Macular pigment protects the eye from light damage, as it is a blue light filter and an antioxidant.
Lutein concentrations also increased in the blood of people who ate pistachios, while concentrations remained the same in the control group. Zeaxanthin concentrations did not change in either group.
It is noteworthy that “lutein” and “zeaxanthin” are natural fat-soluble pigments found in food, and they can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the macular area of the retina.
Macular pigments help protect against vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration and improve visual function. Previous research has indicated that taking lutein and zeaxanthin increases macular pigment levels.
Pistachios are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, in addition to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.