Fun Facts About Pistachio Nuts

Do you like pistachios? In my experience, most people in the world do. They are such an interesting food, eaten in a raw state and roasted while still within their shells. Even their color is intriguing. Well, here is a collection of fun facts that you might not know about one of your favorite nuts.

Pistachios aren’t actually nuts. It’s true! Pistachio “nuts” are actually seeds of red or yellow plum-like fruits whose flesh is removed during processing. However, everyone calls them a nut because they look like “nuts” and are in the cashew family. Other things in the cashew family include sumac, mangos, and poison ivy.

Pistachios are surfers. Well, close to it anyway. California is the second largest pistachio producer in the world, even though it is mostly known for “happy cows” and oranges. In fact, 98% of the pistachios produced in the United States are from California. Iran is the largest producer of pistachios in the world. So, the next time you think of Iran, think pistachios.

Pistachios are biblical. They are mentioned in the Old Testament in Genesis 43:11, and are one of only two nuts mentioned in Scripture. The other nut mentioned is the almond. And, according to Moslem legend, the pistachio nut was one of the foods brought to Earth by Adam.

Pistachios are royalty. As the legend goes, the Queen of Sheba made an official declaration that pistachios were an exclusively royal food. In fact, she even went so far as to forbid commoners from growing the nut for their own consumption. Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon, also had a passion for pistachios. It is said that he had pistachio trees planted in his hanging gardens. And the Mogul Emperor, Akbar the Great, hosted lavish banquets befitting his royal status. He often served chicken at these banquets, and ordered all the chickens to be fed pistachio nuts for 6 to 8 weeks in advance to give the chickens a more delicious flavor.

Pistachios are happy. They are called “the smiling nut” in Iran and “the happy nut” in China. People in the Middle East sometimes refer to the pistachio as the "smiling pistachio." In those same countries, if you are sitting under a Pistachio tree and you hear the shells snapping open, it is a sign of good luck.

Pistachios come in many colors. Many different countries dye pistachios to make them more eye-catching. In the U.S. pistachios were dyed red to disguise imperfections in the shells and to make the nuts stand out in vending machines. They are normally green.

So, as you can see, there are many aspects to the common pistachio, aspects that involve more than just their tastiness. From every corner of the world, pistachios have a story all their own.