Name: 開心果到底是什麼？跟你想的完全不一樣！[ID0621] (What Exactly Is a Pistachio? It's Not What You Think [ID0621])
Uploaded: 2026-01-22T13:25:08.000Z
Duration: 8 min 2 s

When you hear the word pistachio, chances are you picture a small green nut tucked inside a beige shell.

聽到開心果這個詞，你腦海中大概會浮現一顆藏在米色殼裡的小小綠色堅果。

Maybe sitting in a bowl at a party or mixed into ice cream.

也許是派對上碗裡的零食，或是冰淇淋裡的配料。

It feels familiar, casual, and almost boring.

感覺很熟悉、很隨意，甚至有點無聊。

Until you stop and ask a simple question.

直到你停下來，問一個簡單的問題。

And how did this tiny green snack end up everywhere, from luxury desserts to airline snack packs?

這個小小的綠色零食又是怎麼風靡全球，從高級甜點到飛機上的點心包都有它的身影的呢？

Like many everyday foods, pistachios carry a surprisingly long and fascinating story, stretching back thousands of years and crossing empires, deserts, and

和許多日常食物一樣，開心果也藏著一段令人驚訝的漫長而迷人的故事，橫跨數千年，穿越了帝國、沙漠和

trade routes before landing in your hand today.

貿易路線，最後才出現在你手中。

So today, we're taking a closer look at what exactly a pistachio is and how this tiny green snack became part of everyday life.

所以今天，我們要仔細看看開心果到底是什麼，以及這種小小的綠色零食又是怎麼走進我們日常生活的。

Life right here on History of Simple Things.

Despite what we casually call it, a pistachio isn't technically a nut in the strict botanical sense.

雖然我們平常都這麼稱呼它，但嚴格來說，開心果在植物學意義上並不算堅果。

Botanically speaking, pistachios are drupes, which puts them in the same category as cherries, peaches, and olives.

從植物學的角度來看，開心果屬於核果，跟櫻桃、桃子和橄欖是同一類的。

The edible part we eat is actually the seed inside a hard shell, not the fruit itself.

我們吃的部分其實是硬殼裡的種子，而不是果實本身。

That shell naturally splits open as the pistachio ripens, which is why pistachios are famous for already looking cracked when you buy them.

當開心果成熟時，外殼會自然裂開，這也是為什麼開心果在我們購買時，看起來就已經是裂開的了。

This natural split isn't a processing trick.

這種自然的裂開不是加工手法。

So while we treat pistachios like nuts in cooking and snacking, scientifically they're closer cousins to fruit than peanuts or almonds.

所以，雖然我們在烹飪和零食方面把開心果當成堅果，但從科學上來說，牠們跟水果的親戚關係比跟花生或杏仁來得更近。

Pistachios are one of the oldest cultivated foods in human history.

開心果是人類歷史上最早被栽培的食物之一。

They trace their roots back more than 7,000 years to the Middle east and Central Asia, particularly regions that are now Iran, Turkmenistan, and

牠們的根源可以追溯到七千多年前的中東和中亞地區，特別是現在的伊朗、土庫曼斯坦和

Pistachio trees thrive in hot, dry climates with cold winters, which makes desert edge environments perfect for them.

開心果樹非常適合炎熱乾燥、但有寒冷冬季的氣候，這讓沙漠邊緣的環境對牠們來說是完美的。

These trees are incredibly resilient, able to survive harsh conditions where many other crops fail.

這些樹非常堅韌，能在許多其他作物都無法生存的嚴酷條件下存活。

In ancient times, pistachios were prized not just as food, but as symbols of wealth and health.

在古代，開心果不僅被視為食物，更是財富和健康的象徵。

Legends even suggest that pistachios were once reserved for royalty, with stories claiming the Queen of Sheba declared them an exclusive food for the elite.

傳說甚至說，開心果曾經是皇室專享的食物，有故事聲稱示巴女王將牠們列為只有貴族才能享用的食物。

As civilizations expanded and trade routes developed, pistachios traveled far beyond their original homeland.

隨著文明的擴張和貿易路線的發展，開心果遠播到牠們最初的家鄉之外。

They moved west through the Mediterranean and east along the Silk Road, becoming a valued trade item alongside spices, silk, and

牠們向西穿越地中海，向東沿著絲綢之路傳播，成為與香料、絲綢和

Ancient Romans helped introduce pistachios to European, where they were seen as exotic and luxurious.

古羅馬人幫助將開心果引入歐洲，在那裡牠們被視為異國且奢華的珍品。

In many cultures, pistachios became associated with celebration and abundance.

在許多文化中，開心果都與慶祝和豐盛聯繫在一起。

Often served during festivals or gifted as a sign of good fortune, Their long shelf life and high energy content made them especially useful for travelers and traders moving across vast distances.

牠們經常在節慶時供應，或作為好運的象徵贈送，由於牠們的保存期限長且能量含量高，對於穿越遙遠距離的旅行者和商人來說特別有用。

One reason pistachios have always been valuable is patience.

開心果之所以一直很有價值，其中一個原因是耐心。

Pistachio trees take a long time to mature.

開心果樹需要很長的時間才能成熟。

A newly planted tree can take seven to 10 years before producing a meaningful harvest.

一棵新種的樹可能需要七到十年才能有意義的收成。

Even then, pistachio trees are famously inconsistent, producing heavy yields one year and lighter ones the next, a pattern known as alternate bearing.

即使如此，開心果樹也以其不穩定而聞名，一年產量豐盛，隔年產量較少，這種模式稱為「隔年結果」。

They also require both male and female trees to produce nuts, relying on wind pollination rather than insects.

牠們也需要雄樹和雌樹才能結果，依賴風媒授粉而非昆蟲。

Once harvested, pistachios are hulled, dried, and

採收後，開心果會去殼、乾燥，

often roasted, a process that enhances flavor while preserving that signature green color inside.

並經常烘烤，這個過程能增強風味，同時保留裡面標誌性的綠色。

While pistachios were known in Europe for centuries, they didn't reach widespread popularity in the United States, while until the 20th century, commercial cultivation began in California, where the climate closely resembled the pistachio's native environment.

雖然開心果在歐洲已經流傳了幾個世紀，但在美國並沒有廣泛流行，直到二十世紀，商業種植才開始在加州進行，那裡的氣候與開心果的原生環境非常相似。

Over time, improved farming techniques and selective breeding helped increase yields and consistency.

隨著時間過去，改良的耕作技術和選擇性育種有助於提高產量和穩定性。

Today, the US Is one of the world's largest pistachio producers, alongside Iran and Turkey.

如今，美國與伊朗和土耳其並列為全球最大的開心果生產國之一。

What was once an ancient luxury has slowly transformed into an everyday snack, though its long history still lingers beneath the surface.

曾經的古代奢侈品，已悄悄轉變為日常零食，儘管其悠久的歷史仍隱藏在表面之下。

That distinctive green color isn't artificial or decorative.

那獨特的綠色並非人工或裝飾。

It comes from natural plant pigments called chlorophyll and lutein.

它來自於稱為葉綠素和葉黃素的天然植物色素。

Unlike many other seeds, pistachios retain these pigments even after ripening and roasting.

與許多其他種子不同，開心果即使在成熟和烘烤後仍能保留這些色素。

The greener the pistachio, the fresher and higher quality it's often considered to be.

開心果越綠，通常就被認為越新鮮、品質越高。

Historically, this vibrant color made pistachios especially attractive for desserts, which is why they became a staple ingredient in sweets like baklava, pistachio paste and pistachio flavored ice cream.

歷史上，這種鮮豔的顏色讓開心果在甜點中特別受歡迎，這也是為什麼它們成為了果仁蜜餅、開心果醬和開心果口味冰淇淋等甜點的主要食材。

Long before artificial coloring existed across different cultures, pistachios play very different roles.

在人工色素出現之前的漫長歷史中，開心果扮演著非常不同的角色。

In Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, they're often used in savory dishes, rice and sauces.

在中東和地中海料理中，它們經常被用於鹹味菜餚、米飯和醬汁。

In South Asia, they appear in milk based sweets and festive desserts.

在南亞，它們會出現在牛奶甜點和節慶甜點裡。

In Western countries, pistachios have become associated with snacking, baking, and frozen treats.

在西方國家，開心果則與零食、烘焙和冰品連結在一起。

Yet no matter where they're used, pistachios carry a subtle reputation for being special.

不管用在哪裡，開心果都帶著一種低調的特別感。

Not quite ordinary, not quite indulgent, but somewhere comfortably in between.

不算普通，也不算奢華，就是剛剛好介於兩者之間。

It's not just a nut you crack open while watching tv.

它不只是一種看電視時剝開來吃的堅果。

It's a seed with ancient roots, shaped by deserts, empires, and centuries of trade.

它是一種有著古老根源的種子，形塑於沙漠、帝國和數世紀的貿易。

It's a food that required patience to grow, skill to cultivate, and time to spread across the world.

它是一種需要耐心栽種、技巧栽培、耗時傳播到全世界的食物。

The next time you open a pistachio shell, you're holding something that humans have been enjoying for thousands of years.

下次你剝開心果殼時，你手中握著的是人類享用數千年的東西。

A simple snack with a surprisingly deep history.

一個簡單的零食，卻有著令人驚訝的深厚歷史。

And that's what makes pistachios more than just food.

這就是開心果不只是一種食物的原因。

They're a small, crunchy reminder of of how even the most ordinary things often carry extraordinary stories.

它們是小巧酥脆的提醒，告訴我們即使是最平凡的事物，也常常蘊藏著非凡的故事。

If you have suggestions for our next video, feel free to share them in the comments below.

如果你對我們下一支影片有任何建議，隨時在下方留言分享。

We'll be sure to give you an acknowledgment for your contribution.

我們一定會對你的貢獻給予肯定。

Thank you for joining us on this journey through the history of simple things.

感謝你跟我們一起踏上這趟探索平凡事物歷史的旅程。

Don't forget to like, subscribe and stay tuned for more stories woven through the smallest details.

別忘了按讚、訂閱，並持續關注更多由微小細節編織而成的故事。