One of the oldest flowering nuts to be eaten by kings, queens, travelers and common folks was the “Pistachio,” “the power punch nut” was imported to the United States in the 1880’s.

While Turkey and Iran are the largest producers of pistachios, U.S. pistachios are predominately grown in California. This climate is ideal for the growth of consistent quality nuts. Pistachios are primarily used in snack mixes or as snacks themselves. Other uses for pistachios include ingredients for bakery goods and ice creams. Pistachios offer good nutrition as well as good taste. As with all nuts, Pistachios are a good source of the daily vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs. One ounce of pistachios contains 3.1 grams of fiber-more than many recognizable high fiber sources such as raisins, potatoes, wheat bread, and celery. Also, because pistachios are a vegetable product, they are cholesterol – free.

Pistachios are sorted into 4 grades. These grades measure quality in terms of stain tolerance, foreign material and damage to the nutmeat. Stain tolerance is the level of discoloration that noticeably contrasts with the predominate color of the shell.