TAGS: NUTRITION | BENEFITS | DIET | RISKS | NUTS | CASHEW
Many plants generally have their nutritional and health values. Cashew nuts benefits are numerous to mention. So if you want a healthy life, ensure you take cashew nuts often.
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) is one of the most sought-after nuts around the globe due to its nutritional and health values. It has a shell that contains toxins that cause irritation to human skin. It must be roasted first before consumption. After roasting, the shells are usually broken off. The inner part also has a layer that needs to be pealed off to access the consumable parts.
The heating helps to remove the toxins in the cashew. This process can be stressful and time-consuming, which is part of the reason it is a bit costly in the market. Cashew nuts, just like many other nuts are highly nutritional with many health benefits. It is loved all over the world because of its taste and flavor.
It is said that cashews are native Central and South America, and was shipped from Brazil to Africa by the Portuguese explorers. Europeans are said to encounter the nut in 1500s. It later got to United States when General Food Corporation began shipping them in bulk during the 1920s. United States happens to be one of the highest consumers of cashew nut in the world.
Preservation of Cashew nuts
Cashew nuts can best be preserved if stored in an airtight container. It lasts more when refrigerated while still in an airtight container.
Now that you have learnt the nutritional and health benefits of cashew, I am sure you will start consuming enough of it. Don’t wait till you have health issues before you take certain recommended fruits, nuts, herbs seriously. It is quite risky to ignore these recommended diets as it could pose serious health problems.
Aside the health nutritional and health values of cashew nuts, it is also used to make different drinsks or snacks due to its taste and flavor.
Cashews are used to make sweets, biscuits and cakes.
They are used to make healthy drinks
Cashew nuts are used in savory rice dishes.
Crushed cashew nuts are sprinkled on deserts, particularly cereals, pies to enhance its flavor.
Cashew Nuts Health Benefits
Before we delve properly into cashew nuts’ benefits healthwise, I would like us to take a look at the contents of cashew nut. The table below shows the content of cashew nuts.
Cashew Nut Nutritional Profile
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale),
Nutrition value per 100 g.
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Here are some cashew nuts benefits healthwise;
Cashews are rich in Protein
Cashew is highly rich in protein. Protein is among the macronutrients the body uses for energy. Proteins are body building food required for creating new cells.
The protein content of cashew nuts is relatively high which makes it stand apart from other nuts that contain proteins. 100g of cashew is known to contain about 18.22g of protein (USDA National Nutrient database).
Cashews Boost Immune System
Cashews contain high amount of essential elements like magnesium, copper and zinc, potassium, iron. These are co-factors for many vital enzymes. They are need by enzymes to perform their function faster and more effectively.
Various physiological reactions in the body such as reactions needed for energy production, metabolism of iron, and neurotransmission require copper.
Deficiency in copper has been associated with poor immune system functioning; higher risk of cardiovascular disease; increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s; and impaired bone health. Half a cup of cashews daily gives you 98% of the recommended daily intake of copper, which may decrease your risk of chronic diseases (WH Foods, 2014).
Muscle relaxation and neuromuscular transmission and activity need magnesium. It is also plays important roles in several other enzymatic reactions like metabolism of food and synthesis of fatty acids and proteins etc.
Deficiency in magnesium is likely to cause insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease and osteoporosis. Studies have proved that a high intake of calcium without a correspondent intake of sufficient magnesium could increase the risk of arterial calcification and cardiovascular disease, as well as kidney stones.
Lowers Cholesterol
Eating cashew nuts can help lower cholesterol levels. A study published in the 2017 issue of the journal Nutrients found that cashews may help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, in some adults.
Protein is rich in dietary fiber. This helps to prevent constipation – a condition which makes it difficult for one to defecate.
Prevents Diabetes
Eating enough cashew nuts can help manage or prevent diabetes. Cashews are associated with improved insulin levels. They have the ability to increase good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and can help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) can reduce the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes.
Maintains Bone Health
In addition to magnesium, cashew nuts also contain copper and manganese. These two mineral elements in your diet help to maintain bone health.
Important in maintaining healthy skin and helps in food metabolism
Cashews are good sources of essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, thiamin (vitamin B-1), and Niacin. These vitamins are important to your health. For example, Niacin helps to prevent pellagra or dermatitis, a serious skin disease. Macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats & oil metabolize can undergo metabolism at the cellular level with the help of these vitamins.
Stay healthy, stay wealthy, stay safe.
Originally posted 2022-04-04 22:37:05.
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