Is Pesto Healthy?

Despite some important nuances, dietitians agree that, if consumed in moderation, pesto is healthy and is a superb source of antioxidants, vitamins, calcium, and heart-healthy fats.

Deciding whether any food, including pesto, is healthy is never black and white

Most government food guidelines are blunt tools, primarily aimed at preventing a surge of food poisoning cases in hospitals. Complexity and context play little part in public-facing food policy. The messaging must be clear, categorical, without nuance, and understandable by everyone.

But what does this have to do with whether pesto is healthy? Actually, quite a lot. If you scan the barcode of a jar of supermarket pesto with an app like Yuka, it will almost certainly present you with a red traffic light warning and suggest you might want to consider a healthier alternative.

Is pesto's unhealthy red light deserved?

So, does pesto really belong in the same camp as candy floss, tinned hotdogs, and pork scratchings? Well, no one can deny that pesto contains relatively large amounts of fat and salt, but without context, that fact is largely meaningless. It doesn’t highlight the benefits of pesto or consider how much of it you'll actually consume.

How on earth can crisps be healthy and pesto unhealthy?

Classic basil pesto contains herbs, olive oil, cheese, and pine nuts, making it an excellent source of vitamins, calcium, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants. However, the government's classification system gives a green light to some ultra-processed foods like Walkers Baked Crisps, and that sends out a dangerous message.

If the public starts to think that crisps are healthier than pesto, then people will simply skip the pasta aisle in favour of the crisp aisle.

Take Pringles, the worst offender in the crisp category, as an example. Their snacks contain over 500 calories per 100g, 30% fat, and all kinds of synthetic flavour enhancers such as disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate. Some of their stranger products contain guanylic acid, inosinic acid, annatto norbixin, and potassium chloride. In terms of real nutrition, you won't find much of it in that enticing red tube.

It won't come as any surprise that we have little time for the UK government's HFSS (high fat, salt, and sugar) messaging, especially when it comes to the health credentials of pesto. Like most food policies, its intentions are good, but its execution is overly simplistic.

After all, if salt is so bad, why don't we all live on a zero-sodium diet? (Spoiler: because you will develop the condition hyponatremia, which can be fatal.) If fat is so deadly, why do nutritionists prescribe people cod liver oil? If sugar is so harmful, why don’t experts advise us to avoid peas and bananas?

Except for cigarettes and illegal drugs, you can enjoy almost anything guilt-free, as long as you consume it in moderation and as part of a balanced diet that includes plants, protein, complex starches, unsaturated fats, and a little dairy.

Dieticians agree that, when consumed in moderation, pesto is healthy

Our recommended portion size of 50g of pesto per person contains less than 200 calories, which is about the same as two slices of bread. Most importantly, though, pesto contains ingredients that are known to help lower cholesterol and is beneficial for cardiovascular health, good skin, and cell health. We would consider that a pretty healthy sauce, wouldn't you?

It's true that eating large amounts of pesto every day can lead to weight gain. It could also introduce too much salt into your diet, which is known to contribute to high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease. However, in moderation, pesto is perfectly healthy and can easily grace your table once or twice a week without you having to lose any sleep over it.