The rich, buttery taste of cashews is hard to resist when you're on a diet. Nuts are an excellent source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats -- healthy fats that can control blood cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. However, cashews also have a lot of fat, too. At a hefty nine calories per gram, keeping your daily fat intake under control is a requisite for weight loss.
About Cashews
Cashew nuts are harvested from an evergreen tree that grows in coastal regions of East and West Africa, India, Brazil and other parts of Central America. An interesting fact about the cashew nut is that it grows almost like an appendage to the cashew apple, which is sometimes used to make jam and liquor. Cashews and other nuts are a good source of protein, zinc, vitamin E and other essential nutrients. Unfortunately, they're also an excellent source of calories due to their high fat content.
Cashew Nutrition
A 1 oz. serving of cashews is around 16 to 18 nuts, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. A serving of cashews has 160 calories. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, you get 4 g protein, or 8 percent of your Daily Value, DV, from a single serving. A serving of cashews gives you 20 percent of your DV for magnesium, 15 percent of your DV for phosphorus, and 10 percent of your DV for calcium and iron. A single ounce of cashews also has 15 g total fat, representing 20 percent of your Daily Value, or DV. More than 60 percent of the nut's calories comes from dietary fat.
Saturated Fat
Many nuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. While nuts still pack a calorie wallop, these healthy fats might improve your blood cholesterol levels, says MayoClinic.com. According to the CSPI, in 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, let the nut industry use this health claim -- but only for almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, certain pine nuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Left out were cashews, along with Brazil nuts and macademia nuts. These nuts contain between 3 and 5 g saturated fat per ounce. Saturated fat is commonly associated with animal foods such as meat and dairy products, and is a primary contributor to high cholesterol.
Diet Tips
Cashews might not be the optimal choice for your weight loss plan, if you're concerned about keeping saturated fat in check. The CSPI notes that the problem with nuts is that they're highly addictive -- it's very difficult to eat just a few when the whole can tempts you. In your diet, the unique, flavorful taste of the cashew might best lend itself as an accent for other foods. Sprinkle chopped, toasted cashews on top of salads, nonfat yogurt with fresh fruit or cooked steel-cut oats. Effective weight loss means monitoring your daily calorie intake so you don't consume more food than your body needs. To lose 1 lb. of weight per week, you need to create a 500-calorie deficit each day, either by reducing the calories you get from food or by burning them through exercise.
References
- NutrientFacts.com: Cashew Nuts, Dry Roasted
- Intermediate Technology Development Group: Cashew Nut Processing
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Go Nuts
- CNN.com; "The Benefits of Nuts"; Brigid Delaney; July 2007
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats -- Know Which Ones to Choose
Member Comments