Cashews are tiny kidney-shaped nuts cultivated from the cashew tree. It’s a tropical tree native to South America, especially Brazil. But now, it was widely cultivated in warm temperate regions across the world. Cashews are soft in consistency and have a mild sweet taste. They are widely used as toppings in sweets and desserts. Cashews are commonly consumed as a snack or processed into cashew milk, cashew butter, and other products. Cashews are rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats, plant protein, and low in sugar that offers health benefits.
According to the USDA data, the nutritional value of cashews (100g) are as follows.
Nutrient | Value |
Calories | 553 |
Carbohydrate | 30.19 g |
Water | 5.20 g |
Sugars | 5.91 g |
Fiber | 3.3 g |
Protein | 18.22 g |
Fat | 43.85 g |
Vitamins in Cashews
According to the USDA data, vitamins and their quantity in cashews (100g) are as follows.
Vitamins | Quantity |
Thiamine (B1) | 0.423 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) | 0.058 mg |
Niacin (B3) | 1.062 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.86 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.417 mg |
Folate (B9) | 25 μg |
Vitamin C | 0.5 mg |
Vitamin E | 0.90 mg |
Vitamin K | 34.1 μg |
Minerals in Cashews
According to the USDA data, minerals and their quantity in cashews (100g) are as follows.
Minerals | Quantity |
Calcium | 37 mg |
Copper | 2.2 mg |
Iron | 6.68 mg |
Magnesium | 292 mg |
Manganese | 1.66 mg |
Phosphorus | 593 mg |
Potassium | 660 mg |
Selenium | 19.9 μg |
Sodium | 12 mg |
Zinc | 5.78 mg |
Health benefits of Cashews
- Promotes better heart health
- Support bone health
- Weight management
- Reduce the risk of gallstones
- Beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes
FAQ
Cashews are high in fat, but the mono-saturated and poly-saturated fatty acids help decrease triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol. Hence it improves heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack.
Cashew nuts are a smart snack packed with healthy fat, protein, and fiber that causing you to feel full for quite a while, thus helps in weight reduction. But, on the other hand, it is high in calories; hence consumption in moderation is essential.