Including pistachios regularly in the diet, especially at dinner, can help you sleep better thanks to the contribution of melatonin. It can also have other positive health effects.
The body produces the hormone melatonin when it gets dark to start the processes that lead to falling asleep. Around two in the morning, melatonin is at its highest peak. As sleep is essential for the functioning of the body, we are interested in adequate melatonin levels.
How much melatonin do pistachios have?
Some foods contain melatonin, which can add to what your body makes and help you get a good night's sleep. The pistachio is easily consumed food richer in melatonin.
A 30 g serving of shelled pistachios contains 6 mg of melatonin, an amount comparable to that provided by some commercial supplements.
From studies with melatonin supplements, a dose of up to 10 mg is estimated to be safe and the best time to take it is between one and two hours before bedtime. If you are taking anticoagulant or epilepsy medications, consult your doctor before taking a melatonin supplement.
On the other hand, melatonin supplementation is not recommended in children and adults, who can eat normal amounts of pistachios.
What foods provide melatonin?
Other foods that contain melatonin are mushrooms and whole grains.
- Pistachios: 230,000 nanograms of melatonin per gram
- Mushrooms: 4,300 to 6,400 nanograms per gram
- Oats: 91 nanograms per gram
- Cherries: 10-20 nanograms per gram
- Tomatoes: 1 to 67 nanograms per gram
Soft, warm lights are best in the hours leading up to sleep. When going to bed, the darkness in the room must be absolute.
What are the benefits of melatonin?
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland and is responsible for regulating the circadian (24-hour) rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.
In addition to improving sleep, melatonin is also involved in the control of immune function, blood pressure, and levels of cortisol, the activity and stress hormone.
Melatonin, not only promotes sleep, but is an antioxidant substance with beneficial properties, especially on some organs, such as the eyes, stomach and ears (it can reduce tinnitus).
There are studies showing how melatonin could prevent glaucoma and age- related macular degeneration , as well as preserve visual acuity.
In relation to the stomach, melatonin can prevent reflux and heartburn.
Helps you sleep better
Multiple studies have shown that melatonin can help you sleep better. A study in 50 people with insomnia showed that taking melatonin two hours before bedtime helped people fall asleep faster and improved overall sleep quality.
Another analysis of 19 studies in children and adults with sleep disorders concluded that melatonin reduced the amount of time it took to fall asleep, increased total time, and improved their quality of sleep.
May reduce symptoms of seasonal depression
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also called seasonal depression, whose symptoms can appear in late fall or early winter as a result of reduced daylight hours.
According to a study in 68 people, taking melatonin capsules daily was effective in reducing symptoms, but there is conflicting research.
Scientific references:
Xiao Meng et al. Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients.
Tharwat S Kandil et al. The potential therapeutic effect of melatonin in Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease. BMJ Gastroenterology.
Eduardo Ferracioli-Oda et al. Meta-Analysis: Melatonin for the Treatment of Primary Sleep Disorders. PLos One.
Madhuri S Kurdi and Sindhu Priya Muthukalai. The Efficacy of Oral Melatonin in Improving Sleep in Cancer Patients with Insomnia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study . Indian Journal of Palliative Care.
B Claustrat and J Leston. Melatonin: Physiological effects in humans. Neurochirurgie.
Changxian Yi. Effects of melatonin in age-related macular degeneration. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Alfred J Lewy et al. The circadian basis of winter depression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
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