Cashews are tree nuts and mainly grow in the subtropical regions of the world. They have a distinctive buttery flavor and taste sweet and salty at the same time. You can eat the nuts after roasting and salting them. Or, after grinding the raw nuts into a paste, you can add them to your gravies. In this way, you can improve the texture of any dish and give it a lovely creamy taste. For this reason, cashews make an excellent substitute for dairy products which is great for vegans. Aside from their taste, cashew benefits your health thanks to the many nutrients it contains. Read ahead to understand some of them.
Cashew Benefits for Overall Health
Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Although cashews contain fats, they are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated forms that add vitamin E to your diet. Given that vitamin E works as an effective antioxidant, it prevents cell damage from free radicals and keeps your heart healthy. Further, the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats lower triglyceride levels and prevent the buildup of plaque on the walls of your arteries. As a result, you prevent the risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Improves Hemoglobin Levels
People suffering from anemia can replenish their red blood cells with a regular intake of cashews that contain both iron and copper. Copper is essential for your body to synthesize the iron into blood cells. It also acts as the base for the formation of collagen and elastin that builds the walls of your blood vessels. That’s how you develop stronger blood vessels.
Protects Your Eyes from Degeneration
Cashew benefits your eyes thanks to the content of zeaxanthin and lutein. Both of these antioxidants protect your eyes from the effects of the UVA and UVB rays of the sun that can cause blindness. These nutrients also prevent the incidence of cataracts in elderly people.
Other Cashew Benefits
- Helps in Weight Loss – Although cashews don’t contain much fiber, they are a healthy snack when eaten in moderation with a mix of other nuts. They satisfy your craving for fatty foods without adding too many calories.
- Assists in the Treatment of Cancer – Cashews contain a simple form of protein that patients can assimilate easily. Further, an intake of cashews that are packed with antioxidants including cardanols, anacardic acids, and cardols can help in the recovery from cancer.
- Develops Healthy Bones and Teeth – Both phosphorus and magnesium are essential for the building of healthier bones and teeth. An essential property of magnesium is that it helps your body use up the calcium you consume more efficiently. Cashews contain adequate amounts of both minerals and that makes this nut highly beneficial for your bones by preventing osteoporosis.
Builds a Stronger Immune System – Cashews can help your body resist infections from pathogens and synthesize protein thanks to its zinc content. The nuts are also known to help your body heal wounds faster. It also benefits pregnant mothers by helping in the development of the fetus.
- Controls Blood Glucose Levels – With their low sugar content and lack of harmful cholesterol, cashews may be one of the best snacks for diabetics. They can even help lower blood glucose levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Builds a Stronger Immune System – Cashews can help your body resist infections from pathogens and synthesize protein thanks to its zinc content. The nuts are also known to help your body heal wounds faster. It also benefits pregnant mothers by helping in the development of the fetus.Cashews are a highly versatile kind of food and can be added to your diet in many forms. While they taste great as a snack, you can also add them to salads or trail mixes for instant energy. Or, make them into a paste as a topping in place of peanut butter. Extract the milk to use with cereals and it makes an excellent alternative to dairy milk for lactose intolerant patients. Add the nuts into your diet and enjoy the many cashew benefits.