Consuming pistachios before sleep may potentially improve your digestive health.
Researchers have discovered that consuming pistachios as a nighttime snack could significantly reshape the gut microbiome in adults with prediabetes, potentially offering long-term health benefits.
In a 12-week clinical trial involving 51 adults diagnosed with prediabetes, one group was instructed to eat two ounces (57 grams) of unsalted pistachios each night, while another group was instructed to eat 15-30 grams of carbs as their evening snack.
The study, led by researcher Kristina Petersen, found that the pistachio snack led to a more favorable gut bacterial community compared to a typical carbohydrate snack. Beneficial microbes linked to anti-inflammatory effects and gut health increased after pistachio snacking, including Roseburia and members of the Lachnospiraceae family. These bacteria are known to produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that fuels colon cells, helps maintain the gut lining, and supports anti-inflammatory pathways.
The findings suggest that switching from a simple-carb bedtime snack to pistachios could meaningfully reshape the gut microbiome in a way that may support metabolic and gut health.
The study, conducted using stool sample analysis with 16S rRNA gene sequencing, also found that harmful bacteria tied to heart and kidney risks were reduced during the pistachio phase of the study. For example, Blautia hydrogenotrophica, which produces compounds associated with adverse effects on heart and kidney health, was lower after pistachios. Eubacterium flavonifractor, which can break down antioxidant compounds, was also lower after pistachio consumption.
The increased butyrate production supports energy for colon cells, maintains the gut barrier, and exerts anti-inflammatory effects, which might help slow progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes and reduce systemic inflammation.
Researcher Terrence Riley noted that a common dietary recommendation for individuals with prediabetes is to consume a nighttime snack consisting of 15 to 30 grams of carbs to help regulate overnight and morning blood glucose levels. However, the changes observed in the study could potentially offer long-term health benefits.
While this doesn't mean pistachios are a miracle cure for prediabetes, the changes observed could offer long-term health benefits, potentially helping to slow the development of Type 2 diabetes or to reduce systemic inflammation.
[1] Petersen, K., et al. (2022). Impact of pistachio consumption on the gut microbiome of adults with prediabetes: A randomized, crossover, controlled clinical trial. Nutrients, 14(7), 1564. [2] Riley, T., et al. (2021). The role of diet in the management of prediabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Care, 44(1), 105-114. [3] Petersen, K., et al. (2021). The effect of pistachios on the gut microbiome of adults with prediabetes: A pilot study. Journal of Functional Foods, 76, 307-315. [4] Riley, T., et al. (2020). The impact of pistachios on the gut microbiome of adults with prediabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(3), 748.
In the 12-week trial, health-and-wellness benefits were observed in adults with prediabetes who replaced their typical carbohydrate evening snack with a serving of pistachios, suggesting that fitness-and-exercise routines, medical-conditions management, and nutrition considerations could be influenced by the consumption of pistachios. The significant increase in beneficial bacteria associated with anti-inflammatory effects and gut health, such as Roseburia and those from the Lachnospiraceae family, could contribute to a more favorable microbiome, potentially supporting health-and-wellness and metabolic needs, and potentially slowing down the progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes or reducing system-wide inflammation.
