Cashews, like other nuts, have many health benefits, providing magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, potassium and polyunsaturated fats. When eaten in moderation, nuts may lower your risk of heart disease and some cancers. Some people, though, have allergies to nuts, including cashews. Cashews also have some properties that could be harmful, especially when these nuts are eaten in excess.
Allergies
Tree nuts, such as walnuts, Brazil nuts and cashews, are common allergens, or substances that cause an allergic reaction. Allergens, while harmless in most people, cause the immune system to overreact in people who are allergic to them. The immune response may be mild, causing a rash, itchy eyes or throat tightness, or it may be serious, resulting in anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis could include rash, itchy eyes or throat tightness, as well as difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, a drop in blood pressure and even a loss of consciousness. If you lose consciousness, experience difficulty breathing or your blood pressure drops after eating cashews, call 911 immediately, as this is a medical emergency. If you have other, milder symptoms, make an appointment to see an allergy specialist.
Oxalates
Oxalates are chemical substances found in many plants, including cashews and other nuts. These chemical substances are eventually processed through the kidneys and excreted as urine. Oxalates sometimes combine with calcium to produce kidney stones, so if you have a tendency toward kidney stones, you should limit the number of cashews you eat.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid
Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential nutrient that is found in some plants, and cashews have it in abundance. It can't be produced by the body, so must be ingested. According to MedlinePlus, some studies have suggested that high levels of alpha-linolenic acid may contribute to prostate cancer, though other studies found no such relationship. Until researchers settle on a definitive answer, men who have or are at risk of prostate cancer might want to avoid eating these nuts.
Raw Cashews And Toxicity
Cashews are never sold raw, but always roasted or steamed to remove the caustic nutshell liquid, or CNSL, which is quite toxic, according to the "Book of Edible Nuts" CNSL contains cardol and anacardic acid, substances also found in poison oak and poison ivy. If you touch cashews that haven't been roasted or steamed, the CNSL can cause a severe skin reaction, including swelling and blisters.
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