Cashews are tasty nuts with a delicate texture, providing a range of nutritional value, including vitamins and minerals. However, eating cashews may also trigger a variety of side effects. Consult your nutritionist or physician to determine if this nut is appropriate for your diet, particularly if you have allergies or headaches.
Weight Gain
Cashews are quite caloric and can be fattening. A 1-oz. serving of this nut contributes 163 calories and 13.1 g of fat to your diet. Keep your intake of cashews to a single ounce, and consumption should not trigger any negative health effects. However, consuming more than a single serving may introduce too many calories into your meal plan. While the fat from these nuts is primarily the healthier type of fat, even that may lead to weight gain if eaten in excess.
Allergy
Nut allergies are a growing problem in the United States; a study in the December 2003 issue of the journal "Allergy" reports that one-third of children are allergic to pistachios, which may indicate an allergy to cashews, since they are in the same family. An additional study in the October 2005 edition of the "Archives in Disease in Childhood" notes that cashew allergies carry a higher risk of anaphylaxis than other nut allergies. This reaction can be fatal, so if your face and throat swell and you experience breathing problems after eating cashews, you need immediate emergency medical care. Other allergic reactions include hives, rashes, itching in the mouth and throat, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
Blood Pressure
While cashews are naturally low in sodium -- only 5 mg per serving -- it is quite common to find commercially available varieties already salted. A serving of salted cashews can contain up to 181 mg of sodium. Eating cashews in moderation in a reduced-sodium meal plan is not likely to trigger hypertension, but consuming these nuts in large quantities can make the sodium add up fast. Keep your intake to under 1,500 mg of sodium per day to avoid spikes in your blood pressure.
Headaches
If you suffer from headaches and migraines, avoid cashews. These nuts contain the amino acids tyramine and phenyethyamine, which help maintain normal blood pressure levels and provide a feeling of well-being, respectively. However, if you have a sensitivity to these amino acids, they can also cause head pain.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nuts, Cashew Nuts, Dry Roasted, Without Salt Added
- Kidshealth from Nemours; All About Allergies; W.J. Geimeier, MD; July 2009
- "Allergy"; Cashew Allergy: Observations of 42 Children Witout Associated Peanut Allergy; F. Rance, et al.; December 2003
- "Archives of Disease in Childhood"; Cashew Nut Allergy is Associated With a High Risk of Anaphylaxis; M. Davoren, et al.; October 2005
- PubMed Health; Anaphylaxis; May 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001847/
