Hazelnut vs. Pistachio — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Compared to pistachios, hazelnuts provide more calories per hundred grams. A 100g pistachio has 560 calories, whereas hazelnut has 628 calories. The average serving size of pistachios is 28.35 grams, containing about 159 calories accordingly. One serving of hazelnuts (28.35g) contains 178 calories.

Protein

Pistachio has more protein than hazelnut. A hundred grams of pistachio provides 20.16g of protein, whereas hazelnut has 14.95g. Pistachios are high in all essential amino acids.

Fats

A hundred grams of pistachio contains 45.32g of fats, whereas hazelnut has 60.75g. Hazelnut provides over two times more monounsaturated and less saturated fats, while pistachio has two times more polyunsaturated fats. 

In a 100g serving, pistachio and hazelnut have 14g and 8g of polyunsaturated fats, respectively. A hundred grams of pistachio contains 24g of monounsaturated fats, whereas hazelnut has 46g.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Hazelnut

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 4.464 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 45.652 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 7.92 g

Pistachio

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 5.907 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 23.257 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 14.38 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-24.4%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+96.3%

Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat

+81.6%

Carbohydrates

Pistachio is the winner in this category.

100g of pistachio contains 27.17g of carbohydrates, of which 10.6g is dietary fiber and 16.57g are net carbs. 

100g of hazelnut contains 16.7g of carbohydrates, of which 9.7g are dietary fiber and 7g are net carbs.

The primary carb found in pistachios and hazelnuts is sucrose. Pistachios contain more sucrose, starch, glucose, and fructose. It also has small amounts of maltose, whereas hazelnut lacks it.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Hazelnut

0

Starch: 0.48 g

Sucrose: 4.2 g

Glucose: 0.07 g

Fructose: 0.07 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Pistachio

5

Starch: 1.67 g

Sucrose: 6.87 g

Glucose: 0.32 g

Fructose: 0.24 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0.17 g

Galactose: 0 g

Contains more StarchStarch	+247.9%
Contains more SucroseSucrose	+63.6%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose	+357.1%
Contains more FructoseFructose	+242.9%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose	+∞%

~equal in Lactose ~0g

~equal in Galactose ~0g

Cholesterol

Hazelnut and pistachio are cholesterol-free.

Vitamins

Pistachio has over 26 times more vitamin A and three times more vitamin B6, whereas hazelnut provides over five times more vitamin E and 2.2 times more folate. 

In a 100g serving, pistachio and hazelnut have 516IU and 20IU of vitamin A, respectively. A hundred grams of pistachio contains 2.86mg of vitamin E, whereas hazelnut has 15.03mg. Pistachio has more vitamin B1, whereas hazelnut contains more vitamin B3(niacin) and vitamin K. Moreover, hazelnuts and pistachios lack vitamin D.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Hazelnut

7

Pistachio

4

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+12.5%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+425.5%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+38.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+76.5%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more FolateFolate	+121.6%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+2480%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+35.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+41.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+202%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Minerals

Pistachio has over 1.7 times more phosphorus, 1.5 times more potassium, and three times more selenium. On the other hand, hazelnut has five times more manganese and 1.4 times more magnesium. Moreover, hazelnut provides more calcium, choline, iron, zinc, and copper. 

A hundred grams of pistachio contains 1025mg of potassium, whereas hazelnut has 680mg. In a 100g serving, pistachio and hazelnut have 490mg and 290mg of phosphorus, respectively. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Hazelnut

6

Pistachio

3

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+34.7%
Contains more IronIron	+19.9%
Contains more CopperCopper	+32.7%
Contains more ZincZinc	+11.4%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-100%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+414.6%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+50.7%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+69%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+191.7%

~equal in Calcium ~105mg

Oxalates

Hazelnut provides over three times more oxalates. A hundred grams of hazelnut contains 194mg of oxalates, whereas the oxalate content of pistachio is only 67mg.

Glycemic Index

Overall, pistachio has a higher glycemic index. Pistachio has a glycemic index of 28. The glycemic index of hazelnuts is 15. The GI for both falls in the low category.

Acidity 

The potential renal acid load (PRAL) is a way to measure the acidity of the food. The PRAL value of pistachio is 2, whereas hazelnut has the PRAL value of -1.9. Pistachio is acid-forming, whereas hazelnut is alkaline-forming. 

Antioxidant Activities

Pistachio nuts are rich sources of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenoids.

The antioxidant activity of pistachio skins is associated with compounds such as gallic acid, catechin, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside, and epicatechin (3, 4). 

Hazelnuts have antioxidant properties that can reduce oxidative stress in several pathological processes. Hazelnut consumption can lead to an increase in antioxidant enzyme expression, such as superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), catalase (CAT), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), which are involved in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory processes (2).

Cardiovascular Health

Due to their nutrient and bioactive substance content, hazelnuts may reduce atherogenic and cardiovascular risk and inflammation.

Hazelnut consumption is associated with changes in blood lipids and lipoproteins. It may reduce total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol (5). 

Hazelnut consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure and has no impact on systolic or diastolic blood pressure (1, 2).

Pistachio has a positive impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.

Consuming pistachio nuts (about 2-3 ounces per day) over four weeks may improve some lipid profiles, particularly in individuals with moderate hypercholesterolemia, and reduce the risk of coronary disease.

According to the study, the pistachio nut diet may reduce the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (TC/HDL-C), the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C), and the ratio of apolipoprotein B-100 to apolipoprotein A-1 (B-100/A-1). It may also increase HDL cholesterol levels (6, 7).

Cancer

The findings suggest that pistachios contain bioactive compounds such as B vitamins, γ-tocopherol, polyphenols, and dietary fiber that have chemopreventive potential against colon cancer and may decrease the risk of colon cancer.

The ethyl acetate extract from pistachio hulls (PVLH) exhibits notable cytotoxic effects on several cancer cell lines, particularly showing efficacy against breast cancer (MCF-7) as well as colon cancer (HT-29 and HCT-116). Additionally, PVLH-EAE may exhibit significant anti-angiogenic activity (8). 

According to the study, raw and roasted pistachios may inhibit cell growth and reduce DNA damage. They also may increase apoptosis and the activity of detoxifying enzymes, particularly catalase (CAT) (9, 10). 

Hazelnut shells, husks, and leaves contain taxanes like paclitaxel, which have anti-cancer properties and can inhibit cancer cell proliferation (11).

Hazelnut oil is known for its rich composition of beneficial fatty acids and other bioactive compounds such as tocopherols, tocotrienols, and phytosterols. The study found that hazelnut oil may effectively induce cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cells (HT29). It also may increase the number of apoptotic cells, raise the apoptotic index, and influence the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial apoptosis (12). 

Allergy 

Hazelnut allergy is the most common type of nut allergy in Europe.

Hazelnuts are a common cause of IgE-mediated allergic reactions, with varying clinical presentations ranging from mild symptoms like oral allergy syndrome (OAS) to more severe reactions, including anaphylaxis caused by primary sensitization to stable hazelnut molecules.

It often persists throughout life, although some cases may improve during adolescence. Currently, there is no cure for hazelnut allergy, and patients must manage it with a restrictive diet and carry epinephrine for emergencies. Oral allergen immunotherapy (AIT) shows promise as a treatment option (13). 

The findings suggest that increased exposure to pistachios correlates with a higher prevalence of allergic reactions to the nut. The pistachio nut (Pistacia vera) has potential health benefits but can trigger moderate to severe IgE-mediated responses in allergic individuals.

There are five known allergenic proteins in the pistachio nut (Pis v 1, Pis v 2, Pis v 3, Pis v 4, and Pis v 5), and understanding their biochemical classification helps correlate them with clinical symptoms (14).

Furthermore, exposure to pistachio among individuals allergic to it may influence the development of sensitivities to other nuts, such as cashews and almonds (15).