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Food for Life - Caribbean - Cashew Nuts

Cashews are a kidney-shaped seed sourced from the cashew tree — a tropical tree native to Brazil but now cultivated in various warm climates across the world. Although commonly referred to as tree nuts, and nutritionally comparable to them, cashews are really seeds. They’re rich in nutrients and beneficial plant compounds and make for an easy addition to many dishes.

Like most nuts, cashews may also help improve your overall health. They’ve been linked to benefits like weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and a healthier heart.

Rich in nutrients
Cashews are rich in a range of nutrients. One ounce (28 grams) of unroasted, unsalted cashews provides you with around:

• Calories: 157
• Protein: 5 grams
• Fat: 12 grams
• Carbs: 9 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Copper: 67% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Magnesium: 20% of the DV
• Manganese: 20% of the DV
• Zinc: 15% of the DV
• Phosphorus: 13% of the DV
• Iron: 11% of the DV
• Selenium: 10% of the DV
• Thiamine: 10% of the DV
• Vitamin K: 8% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 7% of the DV
• Cashews are especially rich in unsaturated fats — a category of fats linked to a lower risk of premature death and heart disease.

They’re also low in sugar, a source of fiber, and contain almost the same amount of protein as an equivalent quantity of cooked meat.

In addition, cashews contain a significant amount of copper, a mineral essential for energy production, healthy brain development, and a strong immune system. They’re also a great source of magnesium and manganese, nutrients important for bone health.

Cashews are rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, two categories of antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and offer protection from disease.

May improve heart health
Diets rich in nuts, including cashews, have been consistently linked to a lower risk of disease, such as stroke and heart disease.

A few studies have focused on the specific heart health benefits of cashews.

One found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed 10% of their daily calories from cashews had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol ratios than those who ate no cashews at all.

May be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes may benefit from adding cashews to their diet.

Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fiber — two factors which, when combined, may help reduce blood sugar levels and protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

Cashews are rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and health-protective beneficial plant compounds.

Similarly to nuts, cashews may promote weight loss, blood sugar control, and heart health. However, there’s less research on cashews than on other nuts. Therefore, more cashew-specific studies are needed to confirm these benefits.

That said, there are little downsides to adding more cashews to your diet. Just remember to pick unsalted dry roasted or raw varieties whenever possible.

Information sourced from www.healthline.com

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