Hello, Gut Lovers! Did you know your late-night snack could be more than just a sugar rush? My husband pointed me towards a new study from his alma mater, Penn State. They discovered that swapping a typical bedtime carb snack like a piece of pie or cereal with a handful of pistachios might give your gut microbiome a beneficial shake-up… and maybe even help with blood sugar control! Pistachios
What did they do?
Researchers gave prediabetic adults ~2 oz (57 g) of dry-roasted pistachios every night for 12 weeks, then asked them to try a regular carbohydrate snack for another 12 weeks. Here at Austin Transformational Health, we offer a GI Map to analyze your gut health. So, of course, we weren’t surprised that they took stool samples. Yep, they sequenced those to peek at the gut bacteria. Study Data
What changed in the gut?
Guess what? Well, “good” butyrate-producing bacteria like Roseburia (an anti-inflammatory) and members of Lachnospiraceae (creates good fatty acids) increased during the pistachio phase, while less helpful bacteria like Blautia hydrogenotrophica (linked to kidney and heart issues) decreased. That butyrate? It’s like rocket fuel for your colon cells, supports the gut barrier, and helps fight inflammation. Yummy fuel, for sure!
Is the power of the pistachio unique?
Other nuts like almonds and peanuts have shown similar microbiome-boosting effects in earlier studies. So yes, pistachios are in good company! Still, this nighttime switch-up in prediabetics is fresh and shows just how simple choices can support gut health and potentially slow progression to type 2 diabetes.
The Dr. Bryn Takeaway:
- Swap that late-night slice of cake or bowl of cereal for a small handful of pistachios (about an ounce or two).
- Enjoy this snacky delight and support your gut’s little helpers on the path to better metabolic health.
- It’s fun to experiment; you just need to track how your digestion feels, and as always, I am here to help you personalize it for your Gut Story.
Fun Fact
Pistachios won’t lighten your bank account too much; in fact, 56 g is about 120–150 kcal and costs about a penny a gram! Not bad for a tasty, fiber-packed nibble with a purpose!
Want to learn more about your body and gut health? Schedule an appointment with Dr. Bryn, where you can receive a personalized treatment plan to help with your individual symptoms. You can also read more about the GI Map Test and other functional medicine tests that we offer at Austin Transformational Health.
