Are pistachios nuts?

Pistachios are nuts that are closely related to cashews and belong to the Anacardiaceae family of flowering plants. The pistachio originally comes from Greece and from countries in the Middle East, such as Syria and Iran. The fruit of the pistachio is green and has a unique semi-open shell.

Both male and female pistachio trees rely on wind for pollination and do not depend on bees to produce their nuts. As of 2014, pistachios are cultivated in countries such as Italy, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Iran and the United States. They are very nutritious and are high in manganese, copper, phosphorus, vitamin B6, thiamin, protein and dietary fiber.