Cashews, delicately-flavored, slightly sweet nuts, are perfect for late-night noshing on their own, but when used as a topping, can turn a boring stir-fry or salad into a crunchy delight. Cashew nuts are actually apple seeds, the cashew apple that is -- a fruit that grows on trees in northeastern and coastal Brazil. In addition to protein and healthy unsaturated fats, cashews are chock full of important nutrients, such as minerals, not commonly found in many foods.
The Basics
A 1/4-cup or 30 g of dry-roasted cashew nuts provides 191 calories, 5 g of protein, 13.8 g of fat, 3 g of saturated fat, 11 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of dietary fiber and 5 mg of sodium, if unsalted, according to the website NutritionValue. Cashews are rich in magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and zinc.
Mineral Content
A 30 g serving provides 87 mg of magnesium, or 22 percent of the recommended daily value or DV; 163 mg of phosphorus, or 16 percent of the DV; 2 mg of iron, or 11 percent of the DV; .28 mcg of manganese, or 14 percent of the DV; and 1.9 mg of zinc, or 12.5 percent of the DV. Cashews are a beneficial food choice because they are rich in minerals commonly deficient in the American diet -- magnesium, iron and zinc, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Children, adolescents, and adults do not consume enough magnesium and the elderly fall short on iron and many have a marginal zinc intake, reports the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Beneficial Fats
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, all nuts are rich in fats but cashew nuts, per ounce, provide less fat than all nuts except pistachios, which offer only 0.5 g less fat per ounce. Yet they are rich in the same kind of heart-healthy fat found in avocados and olives: monounsaturated fat. They are richer in monounsaturated fats than Brazil nuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Roughly 3/4 of the fat in cashews comes in the form of this heart-healthy fat. The American Heart Association reports that monounsaturated fats can help lower LDL or "bad" blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease.
As Part of a Balanced Diet
Enjoy cashews as you would any nut; eat them plain or sprinkle a handful over your breakfast cereal or salad. They make a nutrient-rich snack. If you love peanut butter, you may wish to try cashew nut butter. It is creamy, nutrient-rich and mild flavored. Use it as you would peanut butter. Spread it on your toast in the morning or celery sticks in the afternoon. Cashews pair well with chicken and are particularly tasty in Asian stir-fry dishes. Create your own or try one of the many recipes available online, such as Food and Wine's chicken stir-fry with asparagus and cashews.
Expert Opinion
Some individuals, such as those with gallbladder or kidney problems, may wish to avoid this nut. While healthy, cashews are among a small number of foods that contain appreciable amounts of a naturally occuring substance found in animals, plants and humans, known as oxalates. Oxalates have the potential to become concentrated in body fluids, causing them to crystallize and worsen certain health problems, such as kidney stones, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
References
- Produce for Better Health Foundation: Cashews
- USDA: Nutritive Value of Foods
- NutritionValue: Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted, without salt added
- USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans--Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements--Zinc
- Linus Pauling Institute for Micronutrient Research--Nuts
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