You might have probably come across with the term cashew nut. Who doesn’t nowadays? This nut is fairly favorite especially for people who like to eat chocolates. Chocolates are laden with cashew nuts now. It is such a favorite food ingredient. You can see it in chocolate products, dishes, and desserts. It can be eaten as it is, sweetened, roasted, original or salted. Name it, and cashew nuts have been reproduced again and again in different versions.
Cashew nut is a native in South America but then has spread to some parts of the globe like India and Africa through colonization. Today, these countries and continents are the largest producers of organically grown cashew nuts.
Today, there are radical alternatives to which cashew nuts have been subjected upon. It is sometimes used as a base for different cream and milk-based replacements. This article is a discussion of the benefits of the cashew nuts as well as its downsides.
Nutrition Value of Cashews
This is the list of the nutritional content of the cashew nuts:
- Carbs (Carbohydrate)
- Sugar
- Fiber
- Protein
- Fat
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Zinc
- Vitamins C, and B
- DFE folate
Benefits of Cashews
Cashew is Good for the Heart
Cashew nuts have fatty acids in them that do not contribute to the increase of bad cholesterol. In fact, these fatty acids might help prevent the increase of the bad cholesterol in your bloodstream. This, in turn, has a good effect not only in your body’s diet but with your heart’s condition. You can prevent future diseases like stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and much more cholesterol-related illness.
Cashews Can be Used as an Alternative for Milk
There are products of milk-based cashew nuts circling the market. These products are great alternatives for persons who try to avoid dairy products but is too fond of milk to let it go.
Cashews Have Magnesium
Cashew nuts have magnesium in them which crucial for a food to have because it is such an essential mineral for our body to function well. Magnesium is responsible for most of the chemical processes in our body. It helps break down food and many more minerals in our body. Without magnesium the calcium would not break down; it would form into kidney stones. Magnesium is also a muscle relaxant and has responsibility for muscular transmissions and many more functions.
Cashew Nuts Can Help you Lose Weight
Research tells us that the daily consumption of nuts leads to an increase in energy expenditure even while we are resting. Now that says a lot about the link of cashew nuts with weight loss. Furthermore, a study suggests that the inclusion of cashew nuts or nuts in general in any weight loss program adds potency to the result.
A 2004 research also recorded an experiment to which it compared a woman who eats cashew nuts at least twice a week and a woman who does not eat one at all in eight years. The results are astonishing as the results tell us that an increase in weight is relatively rapid to the woman not eating cashew nuts compared to the former subject.
The other researching all led to the same conclusion that nuts, in general, prevent rapid weight gain and might have potential in weight loss contribution. The other findings suggest that the reason why nuts, in general, contributes mostly to weight loss is that they somewhat increase the rate of metabolism. Research conclusions also tell us that nuts, in general, can make us feel full.
Cashew Nuts Can Prevent the Development of Gallstones
Research shows that consumption of cashew nuts can prevent the development of gallstones in the gallbladder.
Cashew Nuts Have a Positive Effect on your Bones
Cashew nuts have high amounts of copper in them which can augment copper deficiency in humans. Research tells us that there is a link between bone loss, bone weakness, osteoporosis and another bone-related disease with the amount of copper a human has. Although this is yet to be concretely proven by the medical world.
Scientifically speaking though, there is a logical reason as to why the amount of copper has a link in bone density and bone loss. Copper in the human system plays a critical role as to preserve the strength of the bones. They are the ones maintaining the elasticity and the amount of collagen in the bones. The collagen provides strength and flexibility to the bones. Collagen is especially crucial in the joints since constant movement means constant regulation of elasticity in the bones rear end (joints).
Collagen is also one of the building blocks of the bones. It is responsible for repairing connective tissues in the bones. If there are a little scratch and tear in the joint part of the bone, collagen is there to improve it. This would not be possible without copper in the body.
The other minerals that are responsible for bone care are the following:
- Magnesium;
- Calcium;
- Manganese.
There you go, these are the primary benefits that a human body could get from cashew nuts. To maximize the use of cashew nuts for health and wellness, you can research more about them and get to know more about the extraordinary health gifts it can offer. They are all fantastic but does not claim cure to any disease. It might help alleviate the symptoms, but you still need to go to the doctor to get treated with whatever condition you might have. Try always to keep the intake at a minimum. If any side effects are seemingly coming from consumption of cashew nuts, stop the input immediately. Also to be extra careful, you can consult with your doctor whether the intake of cashew nuts is a good idea.
Reference:
MNT – Hourly Medical News Since 2003 Health benefits of cashews Last updated Mon 18 June 2018 By Megan Ware RDN LD Reviewed by Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
Nutrition Benefits Diet Risks