WORLD PISTACHIO DAY: A Global Chance to Celebrate the Wonderful Green Nut

LOS ANGELES, February 25, 2010 - February 26th is World Pistachio Day, so why not take a moment to reflect
on the amazing history and modern day health benefits of this wonderful nut?

Pistachios contain only 3-4 calories per nut, and offer more than 30
different vitamins, minerals and beneficial phytonutrients making them a
great guilt free snack.

Originating from the Middle East, pistachios are one of the oldest
flowering nut trees with evidence suggesting that humans were enjoying them
as early as 7,000 B.C. Pistachios were first planted in California in the
1930s. From this point it took nearly 10 years of careful research and
breeding before the California pistachio - also known as the Kerman variety -
was finally perfected. Today, California produces more than 400 million
pounds of pistachios each year, making it a leading producer of pistachios
worldwide.

Going Nuts for Pistachios Across the Globe

In China, the pistachio is known as the "happy nut" because it looks like
it's smiling. Often given as a gift during the Chinese New Year, pistachios
are a symbol of health, happiness and good fortune. While China leads the
world in total pistachio consumption at 120 million pounds per year; Israel,
with 7 million snackers consuming 9 million pounds, is the leader per capita
for pistachio consumption.

In India, pistachios are a major part of the population's diet and are
used in the popular saffron pistachio drink, Shree Guruji Kesar Pista
Sharbat. Pistachios are considered a "hot food" and are believed to help keep
the body warm and are typically enjoyed during the cold winter months.
Conversely, in Russia pistachios are enjoyed as a popular snack to accompany
beer during the warm summer months.

In France, where "snack" is not part of the vocabulary, pistachios are
served as part of the occasion known as aperitif, a light beverage and snack
served before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

Pistachios are enjoyed around the world so celebrate with your fellow nut
lovers in many different languages: die Pistazie in German
(www.gesundheitmitpistazien.com), pistaches in French
(www.santepistache.com), pista in Hindi
(www.pistachiohealth.in)
and pistache in Spanish (www.pistachessaludables.com).

Celebrate the Nutritional Benefits of California Pistachios

While many eat pistachios purely for their delicious taste and satisfying
crunch, the pistachio is also stacked full of nutritional goodness. New
research continues to come to light showing the positive benefits of
pistachios:

    - Lung Cancer: Recently it was revealed that a diet that incorporates a
      daily dose of pistachios may help reduce the risk of lung and other
      cancers, according to data presented at the American Association for
      Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference,
      held Dec. 6-9, 2009.

    - A Smart Snack for Diabetics: Researchers from the University of Toronto
      found that when a handful of pistachios were eaten with a high glycemic
      index food like white bread, the pistachios helped blunt the rise in
      blood sugar and reduced hunger-stimulating hormones. That helps control
      appetite, and is good news for diabetics.

    - Pistachios, "The Skinny Nut": Overweight and obesity are risk factors
      for type II diabetes and heart disease. Nutrition experts call
      pistachios the "Skinny Nut" because they are one of the lowest calorie,
      lowest fat and highest fiber nuts offering the most nuts per serving.

    - Pistachios are "Heart Healthy": Most of the fat in pistachios is the
      "good" fat that helps lower the risk of heart disease. Penn State
      researchers found that eating one to two handfuls of pistachios a day
      resulted in a nine to 12 percent reduction in "bad" LDL cholesterol
      levels.

About PistachioHealth.com

PistachioHealth.com, the leading online source of information on the
health and nutrition benefits of pistachios, is offered in 12 languages and
includes research updates and educational materials, to both consumers and
health professionals. The award-winning site is provided by Paramount Farms,
California's largest pistachio grower and processor, as an industry-wide
resource. Friend PistachioHealth.com on Facebook and follow @pistachiohealth
on Twitter.

Sonya Grigoruk, +1-310-966-4681, sgrigoruk at paramountfarms.com, for PistachioHealth.com