There you are, chowing down on cashews. You get to the bottom of the bag and think, "Woah. Are these even good for me?" but before you choke on cashew crumbs, rest assured they have many reported health benefits.
Here are 5 reasons to eat cashews, in a nutshell:
Mineral munchies
Let's start with the science stuff: cashews are packed full of minerals. Copper comes in first, with a whopping 0.6mg per 28.34 grams. That's over a third your recommended daily intake. Tick!
Why care about copper? Because it helps the body absorb iron and make collagen, and it helps with energy.
On top of that, cashews contain zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and calcium. Phewph! Quite impressive for a little nut.
Vitamin hit
Cashews also have a couple of key vitamins for good health. That's vitamin K (around 10% of your RDI), B vitamins and vitamin E.
Nutty nutrition
Zooming out now to the bigger picture, cashews are also high in unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants and protein. In fact, one cashew is over 20% protein, around 45% fat (mostly monounsaturated fatty acids and some polyunsaturated fatty acids) and 25% carbohydrate.
With that composition, you can look to cashews to satiate you between meals.
Heart healthy
Nuts, including cashews, are considered a core part of a balanced diet. Some studies have shown that eating cashews regularly can reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Plus, the antioxidants found in cashews are said to have anti-cancer properties. The Proanthocyanidins antioxidant compound is regarded to help stop some cancer cells from growing.
All in moderation
It's true cashews are high in fat. But because they're so nutrient-dense, it's hard to binge on them. Even just a few cashews can curb cravings and keep you fuller for longer.
Just remember to stick to Australian Dietary Guidelines: 30g of nuts each day. That's around 15 cashews.
To help you with your new cashew diet, here are a couple of healthy recipes we have that uses this awesome nut: Broccoli & Cashew Soup with Arame and Cashew & Sundried Tomato Dip.
