The Health Benefits Of Cashews

When people think of “healthy” foods, they often think of fruits and vegetables, not realizing that nuts offer a variety of health benefits. We're here to change that.

Nuts are one of the most nutritionally dense foods available. They are high in protein, high in fiber and high in the healthy fatty acids that you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle with no preparation required.

What Are Cashews?

The tropical cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is native to Brazil and is unable to tolerate freezing temperatures. Cashew trees now provide nuts in most tropical areas including Mexico, Africa, Southeast Asia and India. The cashew nut grows very differently from most other nuts, rather than a nut encased in an inedible fruit, cashews grow outside (below) an edible fruit called a cashew apple.

Nutritional Value Of Cashews

A handful of cashews is like a tasty multivitamin! They are nutrient dense and contain fats, protein and fiber. They are also a rich source of minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium. Cashews also contain Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B6 and Vitamin K. Cashews are also one of the few natural sources of a plant sterol known as Beta-Sitosterol.

Vitamin B1 helps prevent deficiency diseases like beriberi, the inflammation of nerves or neuritis associated with the lack of thiamine. Thiamine is also beneficial to kidney health in people with Type 2 diabetes and preventing memory loss associated with Alzheimer's. Thiamine is essential for the proper metabolism of carbohydrates.

Vitamin B6 is essential for hundreds of enzyme reactions in our body and is needed for metabolizing proteins at the cellular level.

Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood to prevent excessive bleeding. Recent studies have suggested that it is also beneficial to bone health particularly in preventing osteoporosis and prescription steroid-induced bone loss.

The minerals found in cashews provide many health benefits including: Iron is essential for preventing anemia. Selenium is essential for the formation of antioxidants that ensure heart health. Copper, manganese, and zinc are necessary for bone health, digestion, DNA synthesis, sexual functions and healthy eyesight.

Beta-Sitosterol is a plant sterol (phytosterol) shown to reduce serum cholesterol, boost your immune system and reduce the formation of gallstones. It may also be useful in the treatment of migraines, bronchitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fat Content

Yes, cashews are high in fats, but these fats (or fatty acids) are primarily healthy unsaturated fats. If you have to choose a snack, ditch the chips and enjoy a handful of delicious and nutritious cashews instead.

When searching for flavorful and vitamin packed cashews, consider these delicious options from Nutsack Foods:

Roasted Salted Cashews
Our Roasted Salted Cashews are loaded with perfectly roasted, lightly salted cashews. These are the best tasting cashews you'll ever put in your mouth.

Spicy Cashews
These Spicy Cashews are the "Manly Man" of nuts. If you need a nut that is stoic, hard-working and self-disciplined like yourself, grab a sack today.

Spicy Mix
Craving a little more than just Cashews? Try our Spicy Mix. Pop a load of Spicy Mix into your mouth and your tastebuds will jump into action from the Chipotle, then the heat from the Cayenne will sneak up on you with just the right amount of burn to make this a sack to remember.