New review identifies pistachios as a promising whole food for sleep research

Three reasons pistachios are intriguing to sleep researchers and clinicians: 

• Supporting the body's production of melatonin: Pistachios provide tryptophan, vitamin B6 and magnesium, which the body uses in the production of serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is involved in sleep regulation and is also used to make melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate the sleep–wake cycle. Pistachios also contain phytomelatonin, the form of melatonin produced by plants, although its absorption and effects from eating pistachios have not been established in people. 

• Supporting calming signals in the brain: Pistachios provide vitamin B6 and magnesium, which are involved in the production and function of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that helps quiet nerve activity and plays a role in regulating sleep.

• Connecting the gut and sleep: Pistachios provide fiber and polyphenols that gut microbes can break down into compounds that may influence communication between the gut and brain, including signaling involved in sleep regulation. Researchers are exploring whether these interactions could be another way pistachios influence sleep. 

How much tryptophan do pistachios provide?  

Why the whole pistachio matters 

Most nutrition-and-sleep research has examined individual nutrients, extracts or supplements. Pistachios bring several of these components together naturally in one food, creating an opportunity to study how they may work together rather than in isolation. This natural structure, how nutrients and plant compounds are packaged together and interact within a food, is known as the food matrix, and in this context – the pistachio food matrix.

Do pistachios improve sleep? 

Source:

American Pistachio Growers

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