Just 2 handfuls of pistachios daily could help protect your eyesight

October 26, 2024Diet

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Could a handful of nuts help safeguard your eyesight? A new study suggests that eating a daily serving of pistachios may protect your eyes from age-related vision problems by boosting important protective compounds in the retina.

Researchers at Tufts University found that adults who ate just two ounces of pistachios daily for 12 weeks showed significant improvements in their eye health compared to those who maintained their regular diet. The study focused on measuring special protective pigments in the retina – the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye that’s crucial for vision.

These protective pigments, known as macular pigment, act like internal sunglasses for your eyes. They help filter out harmful blue light and protect the retina from damage that can lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of vision loss in older adults.

“Our findings indicate that pistachios are not only a nutritious snack, but they may also provide significant benefits for eye health,” says Dr. Tammy Scott, a research and clinical neuropsychologist and lead author of the study, in a media release. “This is especially important as people age and face higher risks of vision impairment.”

What’s particularly noteworthy is how effective the pistachios were compared to other dietary sources. Despite containing relatively modest amounts of lutein (1.6 mg per serving) compared to vegetables like spinach (7 mg per serving), the pistachio intervention produced impressive results. This suggests that the natural fats in pistachios might make the lutein more readily available for the body to use.

The findings are especially relevant given that the average American consumes less than 2 mg of lutein daily, while studies suggest that 6 mg per day might help reduce the risk of AMD. Adding pistachios to your daily routine could be a simple way to boost your intake of these protective compounds.

“By simply incorporating a handful of pistachios into your diet, you can improve your intake of lutein, which is crucial for protecting your eyes,” notes Dr. Scott.

For those wondering what two ounces of pistachios looks like, it’s roughly two handfuls, or 50-100 kernels. While this might seem like a lot, it’s worth noting that pistachios also provide other nutritional benefits, including healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

This research opens up new possibilities for protecting eye health through diet, particularly for those who might not regularly consume leafy greens or other traditional sources of lutein. It suggests that something as simple as snacking on pistachios could contribute to long-term eye health.

Paper Summary

Methodology

The researchers recruited 36 participants through social media and carefully screened them to ensure they had low levels of macular pigment and typically ate diets low in lutein. They randomly assigned participants to either eat their regular diet or add two ounces of pistachios daily for 12 weeks. The researchers measured participants’ eye health using a special technique called heterochromatic flicker photometry, which non-invasively measures the density of protective pigments in the retina. They also took blood samples to measure lutein levels and tracked participants’ dietary intake throughout the study.

Key Results

The pistachio group showed significant increases in their macular pigment density at all measured points in the retina after six weeks, and these improvements remained stable through week 12. Their blood levels of lutein also increased significantly. The control group showed no meaningful changes in either measurement. The improvements seen with pistachios were comparable to or better than those seen in previous studies using higher doses of lutein from other sources.

Study Limitations

The study was relatively small (36 participants) and focused on healthy adults between 40 and 70 who had low baseline levels of lutein intake and macular pigment. The results might not apply to other populations. The study also used a relatively high daily dose of pistachios (2 ounces) compared to typical consumption recommendations (1.5 ounces).

Discussion & Takeaways

The study suggests that pistachios could be an effective dietary strategy for increasing protective pigments in the retina, potentially helping to prevent age-related vision problems. The researchers speculate that pistachios’ effectiveness might be due to their fat content, which could help with lutein absorption, and their potential effects on blood lipid profiles, which might influence how lutein is transported in the body.

Funding & Disclosures

The study was funded by the American Pistachio Growers and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health. While the American Pistachio Growers provided funding, they had no role in the study’s design, conduct, or interpretation. The lead author reported receiving financial support from American Pistachio Growers, while other authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Study Finds

StudyFinds sets out to find new research that speaks to mass audiences — without all the scientific jargon. The stories we publish are digestible, summarized versions of research that are intended to inform the reader as well as stir civil, educated debate. StudyFinds Staff articles are AI assisted, but always thoroughly reviewed and edited by a Study Finds staff member. Read our AI Policy for more information.

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