Pistachios vs Walnuts – Which is Healthier?

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Our Verdict

When comparing pistachios to walnuts, we picked the pistachios.

Why?

Pistachios have more protein and fiber, while walnuts have more fat (though the fats are famously healthy, the same is true of the fats in pistachios).

In the category of vitamins, pistachios have several times more* of vitamins A, B1, B6, C, and E, while walnuts boast only a little more of vitamin B9. They are approximately equal on other vitamins they both contain.

*actually 25x more vitamin A, but the others are 2x, 3x, 4x more.

When it comes to minerals, things are more even; pistachios have more iron, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium, while walnuts have more copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. So this category’s a tie.

So given two clear wins for pistachios, and one tie, it’s evident that pistachios win the day.

However! Do enjoy both of these nuts; we often mention that diversity is good in general, and in this case, it’s especially true because of the different mineral profiles, and also because in terms of the healthy fats that they offer, pistachios offer more monounsaturated fats and walnuts offer more polyunsaturated fats; both are healthy, just different.

They’re about equal on saturated fat, in case you were wondering, as it makes up about 6% of the total fats in both cases.

Want to learn more?

You might like to read:

Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts

Take care!

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  • Be Your Future Self Now – by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Affirmations in the mirror are great and all, but they can only get you so far! And if you’re a regular reader of our newsletter, you probably know about the power of small daily habits adding up and compounding over time. So what does this book offer, that’s different?

    “Be Your Future Self Now” beelines the route “from here to there”, with a sound psychological approach. On which note…

    The book’s subtitle mentions “the science of intentional transformation”, and while Dr. Hardy is a psychologist, he’s an organizational psychologist (which doesn’t really pertain to this topic). It’s not a science-heavy book, but it is heavy on psychological rationality.

    Where Dr. Hardy does bring psychology to bear, it’s in large part that! He teaches us how to overcome our biases that cause us to stumble blindly into the future… rather than intentfully creating our own future to step into. For example:

    Most people (regardless of age!) acknowledge what a different person they were 10 years ago… but assume they’ll be basically the same person 10 years from now as they are today, just with changed circumstances.

    Radical acceptance of the inevitability of change is the first step to taking control of that change.

    That’s just one example, but there are many, and this is a book review not a book summary!

    In short: if you’d like to take much more conscious control of the direction your life will take, this is a book for you.

    Click here to get your copy of “Be Your Future Self Now” from Amazon!

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  • Self-Care That’s Not Just Self-Indulgence

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    Self-Care That’s Not Just Self-Indulgence

    Self-care is often seen as an excuse for self-indulgence. Worse, it’s often used as an excuse for self-indulgence—in ways that can end up making us feel worse.

    It’s a bit like dietary “cheat days”. If your diet needs cheat days, your diet probably isn’t right for you!

    How to recognize the difference between self-care and self-indulgence?

    Statistically, the majority of our subscribers are parents (whose children are now mostly grown up, but still, the point is that parenting experience has been gleaned), and/or are or have been caregivers of some form or other.

    When a small child is ill, we (hopefully!) look after them carefully:

    • We don’t expect too much of them, but…
    • …we do expect them to adhere to things consistent with their recovery.

    Critically: an important part of self-care is that it actually should be care.

    Let’s spell something out: neglect is not care!

    How this works for physical and mental health

    If you overdo it in physical exercise, it’s right and correct to take a break to recover, and during that time, do things that will hasten one’s recovery. For example:

    Overdone It? How To Speed Up Recovery After Exercise

    But it’s well-known that if you just do nothing, your condition will likely deteriorate. Also, “a break to recover” is going to be as short as is necessary to recover. Then you’ll ease back into exercise, but you will get back to it.

    For mental health it’s just the same. If we for whatever reason need to take a step back, it’s right and correct to do take a break to recover, and during that time, do things that will hasten one’s recovery.

    Sometimes, if for example it’s just a case of burnout, rest is the best medicine, and even rest can be an active process. See for example:

    How To Rest More Efficiently (Yes, Really)

    So the question to ask, when it comes to self-care vs self-indulgence, is:

    “Is this activity helping me to get better?”

    Some examples:

    Probably not great self-care activities:

    • Oversleeping (unless you were sleep-deprived, in which case, it’s better to get an earlier night than a later morning, if possible)
    • Overeating (comfort-eating is a thing, but your actual problems will still be there)
    • Mindless activities (mindless scrolling, TV-watching, game-playing, etc)

    Probably better self-care activities:

    • Enjoyable physical activity (whatever that may be for you)
    • Preparing your favorite food, and then enjoying it mindfully
    • Engaging in a personal project that might not be that important, but it’s fulfilling to you (hobbies etc can fall into this category)
    • Scheduling some time, and committing some resources, to tackling whatever problem(s) you are facing that’s prompting you to need this self-care.
    • Doing the tasks you want to hide away from, but making them fun.

    What’s your go-to self-care? We love to hear from you, so feel free to hit “reply” to this email, or use the handy feedback form at the bottom!

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  • I’m feeling run down. Why am I more likely to get sick? And how can I boost my immune system?

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    It has been a long winter, filled with many viruses and cost-of-living pressures, on top of the usual mix of work, study, life admin and caring responsibilities.

    Stress is an inevitable part of life. In short bursts, our stress response has evolved as a survival mechanism to help us be more alert in fight or flight situations.

    But when stress is chronic, it weakens the immune system and makes us more vulnerable to illnesses such as the common cold, flu and COVID.

    Pexels/Ketut Subiyanto

    Stress makes it harder to fight off viruses

    When the immune system starts to break down, a virus that would normally have been under control starts to flourish.

    Once you begin to feel sick, the stress response rises, making it harder for the immune system to fight off the disease. You may be sick more often and for longer periods of time, without enough immune cells primed and ready to fight.

    In the 1990s, American psychology professor Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues conducted a number of studies where healthy people were exposed to an upper respiratory infection, through drops of virus placed directly into their nose.

    These participants were then quarantined in a hotel and monitored closely to determine who became ill.

    One of the most important factors predicting who got sick was prolonged psychological stress.

    Cortisol suppresses immunity

    “Short-term stress” is stress that lasts for a period of minutes to hours, while “chronic stress” persists for several hours per day for weeks or months.

    When faced with a perceived threat, psychological or physical, the hypothalamus region of the brain sets off an alarm system. This signals the release of a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

    Human brain illustration
    The hypothalamus sets off an alarm system in response to a real or perceived threat. stefan3andrei/Shutterstock

    In a typical stress response, cortisol levels quickly increase when stress occurs, and then rapidly drop back to normal once the stress has subsided. In the short term, cortisol suppresses inflammation, to ensure the body has enough energy available to respond to an immediate threat.

    But in the longer term, chronic stress can be harmful. A Harvard University study from 2022 showed that people suffering from psychological distress in the lead up to their COVID infection had a greater chance of experiencing long COVID. They classified this distress as depression, probable anxiety, perceived stress, worry about COVID and loneliness.

    Those suffering distress had close to a 50% greater risk of long COVID compared to other participants. Cortisol has been shown to be high in the most severe cases of COVID.

    Stress causes inflammation

    Inflammation is a short-term reaction to an injury or infection. It is responsible for trafficking immune cells in your body so the right cells are present in the right locations at the right times and at the right levels.

    The immune cells also store a memory of that threat to respond faster and more effectively the next time.

    Initially, circulating immune cells detect and flock to the site of infection. Messenger proteins, known as pro-inflammatory cytokines, are released by immune cells, to signal the danger and recruit help, and our immune system responds to neutralise the threat.

    During this response to the infection, if the immune system produces too much of these inflammatory chemicals, it can trigger symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose.

    Man blows nose
    Our immune response can trigger symptoms such as a runny nose. Alyona Mandrik/Shutterstock

    What about chronic stress?

    Chronic stress causes persistently high cortisol secretion, which remains high even in the absence of an immediate stressor.

    The immune system becomes desensitised and unresponsive to this cortisol suppression, increasing low-grade “silent” inflammation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (the messenger proteins).

    Immune cells become exhausted and start to malfunction. The body loses the ability to turn down the inflammatory response.

    Over time, the immune system changes the way it responds by reprogramming to a “low surveillance mode”. The immune system misses early opportunities to destroy threats, and the process of recovery can take longer.

    So how can you manage your stress?

    We can actively strengthen our immunity and natural defences by managing our stress levels. Rather than letting stress build up, try to address it early and frequently by:

    1) Getting enough sleep

    Getting enough sleep reduces cortisol levels and inflammation. During sleep, the immune system releases cytokines, which help fight infections and inflammation.

    2) Taking regular exercise

    Exercising helps the lymphatic system (which balances bodily fluids as part of the immune system) circulate and allows immune cells to monitor for threats, while sweating flushes toxins. Physical activity also lowers stress hormone levels through the release of positive brain signals.

    3) Eating a healthy diet

    Ensuring your diet contains enough nutrients – such as the B vitamins, and the full breadth of minerals like magnesium, iron and zinc – during times of stress has a positive impact on overall stress levels. Staying hydrated helps the body to flush out toxins.

    4) Socialising and practising meditation or mindfulness

    These activities increase endorphins and serotonin, which improve mood and have anti-inflammatory effects. Breathing exercises and meditation stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms down our stress responses so we can “reset” and reduce cortisol levels.

    Sathana Dushyanthen, Academic Specialist & Lecturer in Cancer Sciences & Digital Health| Superstar of STEM| Science Communicator, The University of Melbourne

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • When the Body Says No – by Dr. Gabor Maté

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    We know that chronic stress is bad for us because of what it does to our cortisol levels, so what is the rest of this book about?

    Dr. Gabor Maté is a medical doctor, heavily specialized in the impact of psychological trauma on long term physical health.

    Here, he examies—as the subtitle promises—the connection between stress and disease. As it turns out, it’s not that simple.

    We learn not just about the impact that stress has on our immune system (including increasing the risk of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis), the cardiovascular system, and various other critical systems fo the body… But also:

    • how environmental factors and destructive coping styles contribute to the onset of disease, and
    • how traumatic events can warp people’s physical perception of pain
    • how certain illnesses are associated with particular personality types.

    This latter is not “astrology for doctors”, by the way. It has more to do with what coping strategies people are likely to employ, and thus what diseases become more likely to take hold.

    The book has practical advice too, and it’s not just “reduce your stress”. Ideally, of course, indeed reduce your stress. But that’s a) obvious b) not always possible. Rather, Dr. Maté explains which coping strategies result in the least prevalence of disease.

    In terms of writing style, the book is very much easy-reading, but be warned that (ironically) this isn’t exactly a feel-good book. There are lot of tragic stories in it. But, even those are very much well-worth reading.

    Bottom line: if you (and/or a loved one) are suffering from stress, this book will give you the knowledge and understanding to minimize the harm that it will otherwise do.

    Click here to check out When The Body Says No, and take good care of yourself; you’re important!

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  • Popcorn vs Peanuts – Which is Healthier

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing air-popped popcorn to peanuts (without an allergy), we picked the peanuts.

    Why?

    Peanuts, if we were to list popular nuts in order of healthfulness, would not be near the top of the list. Many other nuts have more nutrients and fewer/lesser drawbacks.

    But the comparison to popcorn shines a different light on it:

    Popcorn has very few nutrients. It’s mostly carbs and fiber; it’s just not a lot of carbs because the manner of its consumption makes it a very light snack (literally). You can eat a bowlful and it was perhaps 30g. It has some small amounts of some minerals, but nothing that you could rely on it for. It’s mostly fresh air wrapped in fiber.

    Peanuts, in contrast, are a much denser snack. High in calories yes, but also high in protein, their fats are mostly healthy, and they have not only a fair stock of vitamins and minerals, but also a respectable complement of beneficial phytochemicals: mostly assorted antioxidant polyphenols, but also oleic acid (as in olives, good for healthy triglyceride levels).

    Another thing worth a mention is their cholesterol-reducing phytosterols (these reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol, “good” and “bad”, so this is good for most people, bad for some, depending on the state of your cholesterol and what you ate near in time to eating the nuts)

    Peanuts do have their clear downsides too: its phytic acid content can reduce the bioavailability of iron and zinc taken at the same time.

    In summary: while popcorn’s greatest claim to dietary beneficence is its fiber content and that it’s close to being a “zero snack”, peanuts (eaten in moderation, say, the same 30g as the popcorn) have a lot to contribute to our daily nutritional requirements.

    We do suggest enjoying other nuts though!

    Read more: Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!

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  • Guava vs Passion Fruit – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing guava to passion fruit, we picked the guava.

    Why?

    There aren’t many fruits that can beat passion fruit for nutritional density! And even in this case, it wasn’t completely so in every category:

    In terms of macros, passion fruit has more carbs and fiber, the ratio of which give it the slightly lower glycemic index. Thus, a modest win for passion fruit in this category.

    In the category of vitamins, guava has more of vitamins B1, B5, B6, B9, C, E, and K, while passion fruit has more of vitamins A, B2, and B3. A clear win for guava this time.

    When it comes to minerals, it’s a little closer, but: guava has more calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and zinc, while passion fruit has more iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. So, another win for guava.

    Adding up the sections makes for guava winning the day, but by all means enjoy either or both; diversity is good!

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Fruit Is Healthy; Juice Isn’t (Here’s Why)

    Enjoy!

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