Snacks such as potato chips, cookies, and cakes are tasty and widely available, but often lack fiber and other nutrients due to processing methods. Pistachios are high in complex carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, and fiber, suggesting pistachios are a healthy snack. The objectives of this study were to determine if female university students improve their intake of micro- and macronutrients and reduce their consumption of high carbohydrate snacks when pistachios are added to their diet. Thirty female university students (18-40 yo) were recruited to consume 20 percent of their calories as pistachios. Participants were randomly assigned to either the pistachio (P) treatment or the no-pistachio (NP) treatment for 12 weeks with a 15-week washout period, and then switched treatments for 12 weeks. Nine food and activity logs were completed each treatment, and data was entered into National Data System for Research software (University of Minnesota, 2012). During the P-treatment there was a significant (P<0.05) dietary increase in monounsaturated fatty acids, copper, manganese, gamma tocopherol, total vitamin A activity, vitamins E, B3, B6, dietary folate, synthetic folate, niacin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and the polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio. In the NP-treatment, total starch, glycemic index, glycemic load, betaine, selenium, vitamin D, and alpha tocopherol increased significantly. The higher glycemic index, glycemic load, and levels of starch in the NP-treatment indicated that the pistachios replaced high carbohydrate foods. Therefore, 20% Kcal pistachio intake improves diet quality by increasing intakes of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and by reducing high carbohydrate intake.
