Pistachios, with 6g of protein, are considered part of the protein group according to the USDA MyPlate. Pistachios are a naturally cholesterol-free snack that contains 1.5g of saturated fat.

Good things come in small packages when it comes to the nutrition benefits of pistachios. A 1-ounce serving of pistachios (about 49 nuts) contains a host of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients bodies need to function and stay healthy. And all for about 160 calories.

When it comes to heart and health and pistachio nutrition, there is scientific research that suggests pistachio nutrition supports a strong heart and healthy blood vessels. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes that tree nuts, including pistachios, can be part of a heart healthy diet: scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5-ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may lower the risk of heart disease.

You can obtain about as much dietary fiber from a serving of pistachios (2.9g, 12%) as from a ½ cup cooked broccoli (2.5g, 10%).

Pistachios contain more than 10% of the Daily Value of essential vitamins and minerals like B6, thiamin, copper and phosphorous. One serving of pistachios has as much potassium (300mg, 8%) as an orange (250mg, 7%).

Pistachios, like olive oil, primarily contain monounsaturated fat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend you get most of your fats from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.