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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.
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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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