PISTACHIO HEALTH
| About Pistachios | Pistachios in the Press | Nutrition and Research | What the Experts Say | Fun Facts | FAQs | Links |
|---|
History |
Growth Cycle | How they are Harvested | Pistachios in the U.S. | On the History Channel |
The pistachio has a long and interesting history. Native to the Middle East, pistachios are one of the oldest flowering nut trees. Recent archeological evidence in Turkey suggests that humans were enjoying them as early as 7,000 B.C. Flourishing in hot climates, pistachios spread from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, quickly becoming a treasured delicacy among royalty, travellers and common folk alike.
Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba decreed pistachios an exclusively royal food, going so far as to forbid commoners from growing the nut for personal use. Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon, had pistachio trees planted in his fabled hanging gardens. And in the first century A.D., the Emperor Vitellius introduced this prized nut to his capital city of Rome. According to Muslim legend, the pistachio nut was one of the foods brought to Earth by Adam.
The pistachio has been used as a dyeing agent and a folk remedy for ailments ranging from toothaches to sclerosis of the liver. The pistachio's high nutritional value and long storage life also made it an indispensable travel item among early explorers and traders. Along with almonds, pistachios were frequently carried by travellers across the ancient Silk Road that connected China with the West.