Are Peanuts Or Pistachios The Better Nut For Weight Loss?

Nuts might be high in fat, but experts and studies say they can actually help you lose weight. (Just resist going overboard and stick to a 1.5-ounce "small handful" size serving.) That said, some nuts may be more beneficial to your waistline than others. 

Take peanuts and pistachios, for instance. (Peanuts aren't technically nuts, by the way. They're legumes, like peas or soybeans. However, they do share characteristics with tree nuts such as pistachios.) 

Though both snacking favorites have similar nutritional compositions, pistachios have a slight nutrient advantage over peanuts. And that nutrient advantage may make them a more effective weight loss tool, although it may not be obvious right away.

You see, a one-ounce serving of peanuts provides 14.2 grams of fat, 6.92 grams of protein, and 2.38 grams of fiber. In contrast, one ounce of pistachios contains 12.8 grams of fat, 5.73 grams of protein, and 3.0 grams of fiber . Together, these nutrients play a critical part in keeping you from getting hungry and binge eating. However, it's the fiber that gives pistachios a bit of a leg up on peanuts where weight loss is concerned.

Both soluble and insoluble fiber promote weight loss by giving you a feeling of fullness that can stop you from overeating. (Here's everything you need to know about fiber.)

Although it might seem as if the amount of fiber in pistachios versus peanuts is negligible, every little bit of additional fiber counts toward your everyday total. Most people in the United States don't get the recommended daily dietary fiber total of 14 grams for every 1,000 calories eaten. Instead, the average fiber intake for people living in the U.S. is 8.1 grams. Therefore, munching on pistachios could be a delicious way to reach your target weight. (Read how adding pistachios to your diet can help reduce body fat.)

What's more, you get more pistachios than peanuts in a serving, which can trick you into thinking that you're eating a bigger snack than you actually are. "Since they are smaller, a one-ounce serving is about 49 nuts," said registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo (via Today). In contrast, an ounce of peanuts is about 35 nuts. 

This doesn't negate the weight control power of peanuts, though. As highlighted by registered dietitian Julia Zumpano (per Cleveland Clinic), peanuts "contain protein, fiber and healthy fats, which can make you feel full quicker and longer."

In fact, peanuts may keep you from gaining extra weight, as shown in the results from a 2022 study in Nutrients. Over six months, participants with type 2 diabetes ate a low-fat diet that included snacks of 35 grams of peanuts before two meals. A control group ate the same diet, but without the peanuts.

At the study's conclusion, participants from both groups lost about the same amount of weight. However, common sense says they shouldn't have, since the group that consumed peanuts ate significantly more calories daily. Dr. Kristina Petersen, a professor who collaborated on the study, explained that "peanuts, which are high in healthy unsaturated fats, can actually aid weight loss" (via PR Newswire).