Iran Pistachio
Pistachios are one of the most delicious and best nuts and foods in the world, which have many fans all over the world. Pistachio is the name of the fruit of a small tree that originates from the Middle East.
This fruit tree grows in countries such as Iran, Syria, Turkmenistan and western Afghanistan, and this delicious and lovely food grows on it, which is the Persian and Iranian name of pistachio, and the same name entered the European language.
Currently, different species of this tree are cultivated in Iran, and you can find more than 60 species of pistachio trees in Iran. Pistachio trees have two base, which means male and female flowers grow on separate trees. In fact, it can be said that both male and female flowers do not exist on the same tree. The leaves of the pistachio tree are light or pale green in color and alternately consist of 2 or 3 pointed leaflets with a terminal leaflet. The flowers of pistachio tree are also in the form of clusters and its male flower also has no petals.
Familiarity with pistachio vitamins and its nutrients
Pistachio is one of the popular nuts that has many properties for the body due to the pistachio vitamin and nutrients in it. The properties of this nutrient have made its consumption recommended by doctors and nutritionists.
Nutritional value of pistachios
Pistachio is a very tasty food that does not contain cholesterol and is rich in vitamins and minerals such as manganese, copper, phosphorus and vitamin B6. The amount of potassium in pistachios is higher than many other nuts. Among fruits, bananas are rich in potassium, but it is good to know that 56 grams of pistachios have more potassium than a large banana. In addition, the same amount of it contains a lot of fiber as much as a cup of cooked broccoli.
Regarding pistachio vitamin, the recommended daily amount of vitamin B6 for adults is 1.3 mg, and a person can provide approximately 37% of the body's daily need for this vitamin by consuming one serving of pistachio. Providing vitamin B6 is very important for the body because this vitamin plays a vital role in the body, especially in protein metabolism and cognitive development.
Amount of nutrients and calories of pistachios per 100 grams:
| Name | Amount | Name | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
P | 490 mg | Calorie | 560 K calorie |
Total Fat | 45.32g | Na | 1 mg |
Fiber | 10.6 g | Cu | 1.3 mg |
Water | 4.37 g | Riboflavin | 0.16 mg |
Protein | 20.16 g | Se | 7 mg |
Carbohydrate | 27.17 g | Thiamine | 0.87 mg |
Sugar | 7.66 g | Niacin | 1.3 mg |
Fe | 3.92 mg | Pantothenic acid | 0.52 mg |
Ca | 105 mg | Folate | 51 mg |
Mg | 121 mg | Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg |
K | 1025 mg | Vitamin A | 26 mg |
Zn | 2.2 mg | Vitamin C | 5.6 mg |
Mn | 1.2 mg | Vitamin E | 2.86 mg |
Factors affecting the price of pistachios
1-Pistachio size (ounce of pistachio)
An ounce of pistachio or the size of a pistachio is a numerical measure of its size. To calculate pistachio ounces, 142 grams of pistachios are divided into 5 groups. The number of these groups determines the pistachio ounce. For example, Akbari pistachio, which has a large size, has 20-22 ounces, and hazelnut pistachio, which has a small size, has 28-30 ounces.
The lower the ounce of pistachio, or in other words, the larger the size of the pistachio, the higher the price. For example, the price of Akbari pistachio ounce 20-22 is higher than other pistachios. Usually, Akbari and Koleghoochi pistachios are lower than Ahmad Aghaei and Hazelnut varieties.
- • ounce between 20 and 22: Very large
- • ounce between 22-24: Coarse
- • ounce between 24-26: Medium
- • ounce above 26: Fine
2- Pistachio type
There are different types of pistachios. Akbari, Ahmad Aghaei, Hazelnut, Koleghoochi and Abbas Ali are just a few examples of pistachio types. In general, most of these names have become brands that affect the pricing of pistachios.
3- Appearance of pistachio (bony pistachio skin)
Another factor affecting the price of pistachios is its appearance. Certainly, pistachios with white, clean and spotless bone skin will have a much better price than pistachios with broken, yellow, dull and dark skin.
4- Smiling pistachios
Pistachios that have an acceptable smile and whose kernels are more visible will also have a higher price. If pistachios are harvested at the right time and are good cultivars, pistachios will naturally break and show off their bony skin. Unfortunately, in the market, some people sell smiling water pistachios to customers at the price of natural smiling pistachios. Smiling water pistachios are pistachios that do not open naturally and are created by heat shock from placing pistachios in hot water and immersing them in cold water.
5- Old or fresh pistachios
The term pistachio this year refers to the fact that pistachio is this year’s crop. Pistachios that are left for more than a year have an unpleasant odor and taste that is caused by the spoilage of fat in pistachios. Many brokers roast their leftover pistachios with salt or other spices so that they do not taste bad. Some people use pills to increase the shelf life of pistachios. In general, the price of pistachios this year is always higher than other pistachios.
6- Pistachio emptiness rate
Although empty pistachios are separated in pistachio processing workshops these days, until recently, the presence of empty pistachios reduced the price of pistachios.
Pistachio Types
Badami pistachio
Badami(Almond ) pistachios or white pistachios are produced in the provinces of Kerman, Yazd and Khorasan. The production of this type of pistachio is mostly in Khorasan province and the reason for its name is its elongated almond shape. Badami pistachio has a white appearance, cloudy and elongated shell.
The size of this type of pistachio starts from 26 and is available in the market up to 38. This type of gene is early flowering and it is possible to harvest it in early August.
Badami pistachio
Kalle Ghuchi(Jumbo)
Due to its large, hazelnut-shaped kernel and its high productivity, this type of pistachio is considered one of the most popular pistachios exported from Iran to European countries. The brand name of this pistachio is Jumbo. Exported Kalle Ghuchi pistachios are available from sizes 20 to 28 and are considered one of the most suitable pistachios for export due to their high cultivation volume, early flowering and smiling shape.
Kalle Ghuchi pistachio belongs to the hazelnut pistachio group; But due to its lower ounce and larger size, it is highly popular in export to European countries.
Kalle Ghuchi(Jumbo)
Fandoghi pistachio
One of the most important pistachios for export is the Fandoghi pistachio (Ohadi pistachio or the hazelnut pistachio), this pistachio can be cultivated and produced in most regions of Iran. The shape of this pistachio is hazelnut and its kernel is green and smiling and it is found in sizes 28-30, 32-32, 34-32.
Fandoghi pistachio
Akbari pistachio
Akbari pistachio is one of the most famous Iranian pistachios in the world, this pistachio is known as Iranian pistachio in other countries. The breed of this pistachio is smiling pistachios and this type of pistachio is sold in sizes 20 to 28. The shape and image of the pistachio is elongated, almond-shaped and large. Akbari pistachio is the latest pistachio in the Iran and stays on the tree longer than all other pistachios. Cultivation and production of this product is in the provinces of Kerman, Yazd, Semnan and Khorasan, but the most cultivation and harvesting is done in Kerman province.
This type of pistachio is suitable for luxury parties due to its length and coarseness, and most of the customers of this type of pistachio are Qatar, UAE and Kuwait.
Akbari pistachio
Ahmad Aghaei pistachio
This type of Ahmad Aghaei pistachio can be considered the newest commercial pistachio in Iran because it takes a little time to process it.This pistachio is elongated like Akbari and its skin is white and its core is red. Ahmad Aghaei pistachios are available in sizes 23 to 32. Buyers of this type of pistachio are mostly from European countries such as Greece and Italy.
Ahmad Aghaei pistachio
Above, we mentioned most of the most important pistachios for export, but there are other export pistachios that we will only mention below:
- 1. Pistachio Shah Pasand Damghan
- 2. Dagger pistachios
- 3. Abbas Ali Pistachio
- 4. Qazvini pistachios
- 5. White pistachios
Pistachio Kernel
Pistachios are pieces of closed pistachios and are usually small in size. These types of pistachios are great for cooking and you can season them to your liking and then roast or bake them. Sometimes pistachio nuts cost a little more than ram head pistachios because you only pay for the pistachio nut value.
The advantage of Iranian pistachios
1- A variety of Iranian pistachios
Kale Qouchi, Ahmed Aghaei, Badami, Fandagi or Ohadi are the most famous pistachios in Iran for export, of course, these pistachios have more subgroups; All these cases show that the creation of variety in the taste, color, size and type of pistachios has caused customers to become customers of Iranian pistachios all over the world according to their type and taste and give merchants a collection of choices.
2-Taste
The taste of Iranian pistachios is known worldwide. Due to the genetic changes made by competitors for faster and less pest processing in pistachios, Iran's pistachio product has a better taste, and consumers have well understood the difference between American and Iranian pistachios, and Iranian pistachios have their special place in the world markets.
3- The ratio of Pistachio Kernel to whole pistachio
The high kernel percentage of Iranian pistachios compared to its shell is one of the other reasons for the popularity of Iranian pistachios, the consumer is ultimately interested in consuming pistachio nuts, and Iranian pistachios have a higher kernel percentage than similar American pistachios.
4- Higher heat tolerance
The ratio of oil in Iranian pistachios is much higher compared to foreign ones, and for this reason, Iranian pistachios can be roasted and cooked at higher temperatures up to 180 degrees Celsius. Roasting well gives a better taste to pistachios, and from another point of view, this high heat destroys all living bacteria in pistachios. American pistachios can finally withstand heat up to 130 degrees, and more than this heat, pistachios practically burn; At this temperature, pistachios can only be moistened and complete roasting will not occur at this temperature.