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Cashew Nuts
Being a kidney-shaped seed, cashews are sourced from the cashew tree which is native to Brazil. However, it is now cultivated in various warm regions across the world. They’re extremely beneficial, rich in nutrients and make a delicious addition to many dishes. When it comes to your well-being, cashews can improve your overall health like any other nuts, but be careful about the daily dosages. From weight loss to improved blood sugar and a healthier heart, cashews are essential to your diet.
Keep scrolling down and learn about the health benefits, nutrition, side effects, and uses of cashew.
Health Benefits of Cashews
Prevents Blood Disease
Consumption of cashews on a regular basis but in a limited manner can help prevent blood-related diseases. These mouth-watering nuts contain copper which plays a vital role in the elimination of free radicals from your body. You may have heard about anemia that is caused by iron deficiency. Copper deficiency leads to an iron deficiency that causes anemia. For that purpose, your dietary plan should include an adequate amount of copper, and what is a better source than cashew nuts?
Protects the Eye
Cashews can provide a quick relief other than meeting your hunger. It contains an antioxidant pigment, zea-xanthin, that is absorbed by our retina. When it gets absorbed, it forms a protective layer over your retina shielding you from the harmful UV rays.
Improved Heart Health
For your heart health, controlling LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels matter the most. Cashews contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that can control such levels which further reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and heart attack.
Healthy For the Skin
Selenium is an essential nutrient for your skincare. While cashews are great sources of proteins and antioxidants, they are also rich in selenium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and phosphorus. The presence of selenium in cashews helps with keeping your skin healthy.
Reduces the Risk of Diabetes
Cashews help you control the blood sugar levels and regulate insulin in your body. These are highly beneficial nutrients for people with type 2 diabetes.
Cashews Nutrition
When it comes to nutrition, I ounce of raw cashews (28.35 grams) contains:
- Calories: 157
- Carbohydrate: 8.56 g
- Sugar: 1.68 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 5.17 g
- Total fat: 12.43 g
- Iron: 1.89 mg
- Magnesium : 83 mg
- Zinc: 1.64 mg
- Phosphorus: 168 mg
Moreover, cashews are great sources of vitamin B and C.
Side-Effects of Cashews
Kidney stones
Being rich in oxalate salt, cashews can affect the way calcium is absorbed in your body. When calcium remains unabsorbed in excess amounts, it can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
Allergy
Although nuts are essential nutrients that can keep you healthy, some people tend to be allergic to nuts such as cashews. The allergy can be ranged from severe to mild. This is the side-effect only for some people who are more prone to allergies. It can cause itchiness and rashes on the skin.
Uses of Cashews
Cashews are widely used in baking food and cooking savory meals. These delicious nuts can make you mouth-watered when used in a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Below are some other more special uses of the cashew nut.
Cashew Apple
The red colored fruit in the picture is commonly known as cashew fruit, it has anti-bacterial properties that can help you treat ulcers in the stomach and gastritis. Moreover, it is a great source of Vitamin C that can be used to you protect you against scurvy.
Cashew Nut Shell Liquid
After the process of procuring cashews, cashew nut shell liquid is produced as a byproduct. It has a wide range of uses from preparing paints to drugs, resins, insecticides, and many more. Moreover, it is beneficial when used as medicine to treat sore tooth, scurvy, and leprosy because of its antibiotic effects.
Cashew Oil
Oil extracted from cashews can enhance the healing process. It can help in treating cracked heels. Moreover, a powdered form of cashew seeds is used to cure snake bites because of their antivenom effects.