Almonds vs Pistachios – Which is Healthier?

It was closer than you might think!

In terms of macros, almonds have a little more protein and a little more fiber, as well as slightly more fat (healthy fats!), while pistachios are higher in carbs. A moderate win for almonds on the macro front.

In the category of vitamins, pistachios have more of vitamins A, B1, and B6, while almonds have more of vitamins B2, B3, and E. We could claim a slight victory for pistachios, based on the larger margins, or else a slight victory for almonds, based on vitamin E being a more common nutritional deficiency than vitamin A, and therefore the more useful vitamin to have more of! On balance, we’re going to call this category a tie.

Looking at minerals, almonds lead with more calcium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, while pistachios boast more copper, potassium, and selenium, though the margins are more slender for pistachios. Thus, a moderate win for almonds here.

In other considerations, almonds have slightly more polyphenols, assuming they haven’t been blanched (which removes most of the polyphenols), so that’s another modest win for almonds.

Adding up the sections gives an overall win for almonds, but of course, do enjoy either or both (unless you have a nut allergy, in which case, please don’t), because diversity is good and both are excellent in their own right!

Want to learn more?

You might like:

Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!

Take care!