9 Delicious Health Benefits of Cashews - Reasons Why Cashew Nuts Are Extremely Good For You And Your Body

[tr-shareit]fun fact: Cashew nuts are often used as a substitute for milk or cream in vegan diets. Cashews are also used in cheese alternatives.[/tr-shareit]

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Introduction

Cashew nut is among the favorite delicious snacks that supply our body with enormous amount of health benefits. Cashews are naturally sweet and crunchy, which is also the reason why it is used in many dishes.

Cashews are the fruits of the cashew tree that originated in Brazil, but is now cultivated in other regions in Asia, like Vietnam and India, and Africa. Its buttery texture makes it a perfect garnish to your salads and desserts. Cashew nuts can take your rice and curry dishes to a higher level that is not only rich in flavor, but also in nutritional value.

These nuts are comparatively higher in calories than other fruits with some 503 calories per 100 grams. Moderation is the key. A handful of cashews has 160 calories.

The United States Department of Agriculture suggests that cashew nuts contain high quantity of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The carbohydrates present in every 100g of cashew nut amount to 30.19g or 23% of its daily recommended allowance (DRA). There are 18.22g of protein or 32.5 of its DRA and 48.35g or 146% of the DRA of fat. However, majority of the fat in cashew nuts are unsaturated fats, or healthy fats, which are effective in lowering the cholesterol level.

Cashews contain a significant quantity of both vitamin E and vitamin B complex. It holds 35% DRI of vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant protecting the DNA from being damaged. Also, vitamin E helps ensure the health of cell membranes.

Meanwhile, the most prevalent vitamin B components in cashew nuts are Thiamine, Pyridoxine, and Pantothenic Acid. These vitamins are essential in converting macronutrients like carbohydrates and fats into energy.

Cashew nut is an excellent source of minerals that our body needs for the daily grind. It supplies 244% DRA of copper, 85% DRA of phosphorus, 83.5% DRA of iron, 73% DRA of magnesium, 72% DRA of manganese, 52.5% DRA of zinc, and 36% of selenium. Such minerals work together to keep body organs together and to maintain proper functioning. All of these promote proper growth and development of the body. Moreover, they prevent diseases arising from deficiency of each of the said minerals.

This type of nut also comes with an abundant supply of potassium, which our body needs to ensure fluid balance. It likewise offsets the negative effects of sodium in the body.

The Important Health Benefits of Cashews

Helps in Cancer Prevention

Cashew nuts contain very rare antioxidants that effectively help in stopping cancer cell formation. This type of nut has proanthocyanidins that prevent growth of tumors and damage of cell’s DNA. Studies have proved that regular consumption of cashew can reduce cancer risks to an acceptably low level. Cashew nuts also have very positive effects on preventing and treating colon cancer because it is abundant in copper. Cashew nuts’ antioxidants discourage development of free radicals that have very harmful effects in the body. Free radicals primarily causes serious illnesses like cancer, heart ailments, and body organs’ malfunction

Stabilizes Heart Condition

It is very important to keep your heart healthy because heart problems can cause you your life. Cashew nut is a very heart healthy food because it is low in fats plus the type of fats it contains is the healthy type which is called monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are known to be healthy for the heart because it reduces the triglycerides that mainly trigger heart disorders. This type of nut also has high magnesium content that regulates blood pressure. High blood pressure compromises the stability of the heart. Regular consumption of cashew nuts will maintain proper heart functionality.

Maintains Healthy Hair and Skin

Cashew nuts are concentrated with copper that makes the hair and skin not only attractive and beautiful but very healthy as well. Damaged hair and skin is caused by insufficient vitamins and mineral intake. If the body receives the minerals it needs such as copper, the tendency is for the skin and hair tissues to remain healthy and protected from damage. Speaking of copper, this compound is responsible with the color and structure of the skin and hair. Intake of foods high in copper will give your hair and skin a healthy and vibrant color.

Improves Quality of Bones

Magnesium is an essential compound needed by the bones to be completely healthy and strong. Maintaining high magnesium levels in the body will boost the efficiency of calcium absorption ability of the body. It is very important to eat foods that are great sources of magnesium to achieve proper structure of the bones and development of healthy bone tissues. Eating cashew nuts will absolutely improve the quality, strength, flexibility, and stability of the bones in your body.

Thwarts Off Gallstones

Studies have proved that those who are fond of eating cashew nuts are less likely to grow gallstones than those who do not. If you eat cashew nuts daily, the chances of having gallstones and other gallbladder issues are reduced to at least 25%. Gallstones are very common especially to the elderly. If you have experienced gallstone removal operations before, you must always eat cashew nuts because once your gall bladed developed gallstones the tendency for recurrence is very probable.

Aids Weight Management

People have this false notion that eating nuts can actually cause weight gain. This is not the fact because the fats that cashew nuts have is monounsaturated that actually boost fat metabolism. This means that fat storage in the body is not increased but in fact reduced. Monounsaturated fats shreds off fat storage in the body through optimizing the metabolism of fat. This type of nut also has considerably high fiber content that supports proper digestion and bowel movement. If food intake is properly digested and immediately wasted, digestive issues like constipation are avoided thus removing the host of fat accumulation.

Calms Nerves in the Body

Because of the magnesium content of cashew nuts, its consumption has calming effects in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. This will stimulate proper blood flow that is very advantageous to the heart and other organs of the body. Magnesium also assures that calcium is not getting in the way because if calcium enters the cells of the nerves, it can cause unhealthy contraction that lead to increase in blood sugar.

Eliminates Free radicals

Cashew nut is known to contain powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants remove toxins from the body. Antioxidants also maintain healthy cells as well as repair the damaged ones. The antioxidants that cashew has are rarely unique that are not as powerful other types of nuts possess. These antioxidants remarkably avoid and eliminate development of free radicals. Free radicals primarily trigger cancer and other serious illnesses in the heart and other internal organs.

Great Source of Multiple Vitamins and Minerals

Cashew nuts are abundant in different types of vitamins and minerals. This nut is a nutrient powerhouse providing the body with thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and many more. This makes it a very essential plant for the utmost condition of our health. If you want to be completely healthy, regular intake of cashew nuts will be of great significance.