The pistachio is one of the oldest trees cultivated by man. It is the most “noble” cousin of lentisk and terebinth, native to ancient Persia. The pistachios arrived in Greece in the sixth century BC with Alexander the Great. A few centuries later, under the reign of Tiberius, they arrived in Italy and Spain but it was only in the mid-nineth century, with the Arab conquest of Sicily, the pistachio found a home on the island, in the Catania area at the foot of Mount Etna, in Bronte, still renowned for its pistachios.
The plant grows in hilly areas and bears well the summer drought and winter frost. The fruit is a drupe: you consume the fruit, called pistachio as well as the tree. Hardly exceeds 8 meters in height, but can live up to three hundred years. It produces its fruit every two years and the year that agronomists call “discharge” provides more vigor to the following season.
Pistachio has become a symbol of Sicily all over the world, thanks to the incomparable quality of Bronte Pistachio. It is used a lot in confectionery and, in general, in the kitchen. Sicilian pistachio products are extremely sought-after, because of their taste and their processing derive many products both sweet and savoury: ice cream, cookies, pistachio creams, pistachio chocolate.
Bronte and its amazing Pistachios
In Bronte, the extraordinary union between the plant and the lava soil on the slopes of Etna, which is continuously fertilised by volcanic ashes, gives rise to a fruit that, from the point of view of taste and aroma, exceeds as quality the remaining world production. One of the main differences between Bronte Pistachio and other types of Pistachio is the chlorophyll content which is superior, and this is the reason for its intense green color is due. Bronte Pistachio is sweet, delicate, aromatic. In addition, the flavour is much stronger, thanks to the characteristics of the soil, rich in mineral substances also due to the frequent lava flows of the volcano.
Benefits of the pistachio
Among the different types of nuts, pistachios are considered the most useful for keeping high cholesterol at bay when LDL cholesterol values are likely to exceed safe levels.
According to research conducted in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the University of Messina, pistachios represent an important source of antioxidants and polyphenols that are released from the food during digestion.
According to experts, pistachios and nuts should be regularly integrated into the diet in order to enjoy their benefits. In fact, they contribute to the reduction of LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and contribute to the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The intake of pistachios helps to raise the levels of HDL cholesterol (the good one) in the blood, as well as providing vegetable fibers, oleic acids and monounsaturated fats necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Pistachios are rich in vitamin E and carotenoids, substances which, in the opinion of experts, contribute to maintaining the integrity of the cell membranes of the mucous membranes and skin, while also offering protection against the action of free radicals.
They are also rich in phosphorus, a mineral that contributes to increasing glucose tolerance. For this reason, their intake has been evaluated as a possible ally in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Finally, the presence of two rare carotenoids in dried fruit makes pistachios a useful food for the protection of sight and eyes from the action of free radicals.
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