Sources: Nazari Co info@nazari-pistachio.com, Persiansarenotarabs.com and grandorco.com —
The pistachio is one of the most important dried fruits in the world and has a high nutritional value including: heart health benefits: Because of their relatively high levels of antioxidants, good fats and plant sterols, pistachios are great for maintaining cardiovascular health and preventing heart attacks. Research shows that adding pistachios to your daily diet can prevent heart disease.
Lower Blood Sugar: Research shows that pistachios reduce blood pressure, body mass index and Creactive protein, a marker of inflammation in the body.
Cancer Prevention: Antioxidants play an important role in reducing the risk of disease, such as cancer. Pistachios contain more antioxidants than most nuts and seeds.
Weight loss: Because of their caloric values and fiber and protein content pistachios are great for losing weight or maintaining it.
Preventing constipation: The fiber in pistachios helps digestion and prevents constipation. The fiber in the nuts is also digested by the food bacteria in your stomach and acts as a probiotic.
Absorption of Iron: Pistachios are rich in copper; the mineral that helps with the higher absorption of iron into the body from food sources.
The origin of the pistachio dates back nine thousand years ago. The Persian pistachio has a flavor that is distinguishable against others. The country also boasts to have more than sixty varieties, because of the number of regions to cultivate and grow them. Each variety has a local name attached.
The Persian pistachios, based on their appearance, are either hazelnut or almond shape.
The two varieties classified as hazelnut shape are as follows:
Fandoghi, which is the most cultivated type among other varieties in Iran. It has a high volume of production and therefore reasonably priced. It is the most exported type of Iranian pistachio.
Kalle Ghouchi is round and larger than the Fandoghi. Because of its larger, distinctive kernel, and high level of unsaturated fat it is considered a perfect choice for snacks.
The almond shaped are now cultivated mostly in Khorasan, Kerman, and Yazd. They too have two varieties. Akbari is the longest variety and has the darkest shell color. It is also the most expensive due to the fact it needs more time and maintenance to fully grow. Ahmad Aghaei is larger than Fandoghi but smaller than the Akbari. Most farmers prefer to grow the Ahmad Aghaei pistachio because of its high yield and shorter production time.
As the variety of the pistachio is important, equally important is the kernel inside. The “normal” pistachio kernel is usually obtained by breaking the closed-shell pistachio. The Kaal kernel is obtained from pistachios that have not yet fully developed and are picked much earlier from the tree. The “green” kernel, to obtain this luxurious food ingredient, goes under the skinning process. Green peeled pistachio kernels are known for their fresh green color and unique taste.
Persian pistachios are also divided into four different groups based on their size and shape. The round pistachio is smaller than most. The surface color of the kernel is purple, and the color of the skin is cream. The jumbo is one of the best varieties in Iran and is one of the most commercial and economical types. Its popularity is due to its large nuts and good taste. This kernel has a red-gray core color and its skin a bone-white color. The long pistachio is larger than the jumbo pistachio. Due to its delicious kernel and large size, it is widely used as a luxury nut. It is usually used for making pistachio slices because of the length. The color of its kernel is purple, and the color of the bone skin is very light. And finally, the super long pistachio which is almond-shaped with a unique taste and texture and produced only in Iran. It is popular for its highest economic value among other types and is popular in East Asia, Europe, and Russia. The surface color of the kernel is purple-brown, and the bone skin color is dark cream.
Most believe that the ingredients to their flavor success is their high content of fat and proper cultivation conditions in Iran. The high altitude of pistachio orchards in Iran are located between 800 and 2,000 meters above sea level.
Before the pistachio comes to market they must be processed. The Persian pistachio has a remarkable roasting capability, roasting is a well-known trick for the elimination of live bacteria or insect contamination. The pistachio has different layers of skin that can be separated through processing. Pistachio processing, includes separating the skin layers from pistachio, washing, and sorting, is done in a place called a pistachio recording terminal. Pistachio terminals are usually located in cities that produce pistachios in large quantities.
In the traditional processing most of the work is done manually. This method is very slow and costly. The semi-mechanized processing includes the mechanical cleaning, and preparing of the pistachios. Pistachios are then dried under the sunlight in the pistachio terminal.
The third type of processing is mechanized. All the steps in pistachio production are performed by the machine including drying without need for sunlight. All the stages of pistachio processing are done by machines. In addition, the pistachio sorter separates the open-shelled and closed-shell pistachios. Also, typical defects such as insect-damaged, moldy, decayed, shriveled, broken, and any other foreign materials will be removed mechanically.
It is true that the United States has surpassed Iran in terms of producing pistachio. But Persian pistachios can take advantage of this asset (better taste), and still have the best pistachio nuts in the global markets.