In Nigeria, roasted cashew nuts are quite the snack. Cashew nuts are the seeds of the cashew fruit. Unlike some other fruits that have their seeds buried deep in the fruit pulp, cashews have their seeds sticking out from the bottom. The seeds can be planted or roasted to make a tasty snack. Before roasting, the seeds are not edible as they contain a form of acid that ruins anything it touches. But as long as it is roasted to a fine, brown colour, then it is safe for eating – and quite healthy too.
For many people, the cashew nut is the only but they eat because of its nutritional value and health benefits. Let us find out more about this healthy nut.
Nutritional Value of Cashew Nuts
Some of the nutrients in cashew nuts include fibre, fat, protein, copper, zinc magnesium, phosphorous, iron, selenium, thiamine, and much more. Cashew nuts also contain vitamin B6 and vitamin K. Cashews are especially rich in healthy (unsaturated) fats, and low in sugar. As you can already tell, eating these nuts would be good for your body. In addition one cup (one ounce) of cashew nuts contains 157 calories.
So in this article, we would be discussing some of these health benefits of cashew nuts.
Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts
1. Keeps Your Blood Healthy
Eating cashew nuts would help to keep your blood healthy. This is because it contains two important nutrients – iron and copper. These two minerals help to eliminate blood diseases, especially anaemia. Anaemia is caused by having fewer red blood cells. Copper and iron help to boost the production of these red blood cells, keeping your blood, and your whole body healthy. Anyone who is anaemic should consider including cashew nuts in their diet.
2. Makes Your Bones Healthy And Strong
People, especially young, growing children, are encouraged to eat cashew nuts because of their healthy effects on the bones and teeth. Cashew nut contains calcium, copper, and phosphorous, three minerals that promote the growth and development of strong bones and teeth in the body. Not only would they make your bone grow but phosphorus helps to increase bone density.
3. Helps You Lose Weight
If you are looking for a way to lose weight, then you should consider including cashew nut in your diet. Cashew nuts contain fibre and protein which help to keep you fuller for longer. This means that eating cashew nuts would make you eat less frequently, making your weight loss journey easier. Another thing is that cashew nuts contain a healthy amount of calories, which would keep you satisfied. But you should be careful not to eat too much of it as it could cause you to gain weight instead.
4. Eases The Digestion Process
Eating cashew nuts would also help you digest food better. This is because it contains fibre. Fibre eases the movement of food in the gut, preventing indigestion, constipation, and other gastrointestinal diseases. It also stops you from feeling gassy, especially when you have eaten too much food.
5. Good For The Heart
If you care for your heart, then you should include cashew nuts in your diet. It contains a lot of nutrients that would keep your heart healthy, preventing diseases and other problems. The presence of magnesium helps to reduce blood pressure in the arteries, reducing the risk of hypertension or high blood pressure. There have also been studies linking cashew nut consumption to the reduction of LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol. This reduces the risk of having a stroke or other cardiovascular diseases.
6. Rich in Antioxidants
The health benefits of cashew nuts still get even better. Cashew nuts are abundant storehouses of antioxidants. These antioxidants keep your body healthy by fighting off disease-causing molecules known as free radicals. Cashews are a loaded with polyphenols and carotenoids.
7. Healthy Food for Diabetics
Cashews are a good source of fiber, which makes the a healthy option for people with type 2 diabetes. One study found out that people with type 2 diabetes who ate 10% of their daily calories from cashew nut had overall lower insulin levels, compared to those who didn’t eat cashew nuts at all. This may suggest that cashew nuts are good food for for people with type 2 diabetes.
Bottom Line
As we have seen, the health benefits of cashew nuts are very fascinating and you should consider making it a part of your diet today. Just make sure to consume it in moderation as you would still reap the health benefits that way.
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
