Cashews are a tasty snack food, and they are packed with healthy nutrients that may help you lower your blood pressure. However, each ounce of cashews has 163 calories, so eat them in moderation to avoid gaining unwanted weight. The safest approach is to consult your doctor if you have concerns about your blood pressure or general health.
Cashews and Risk Factors
You are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure if you have high cholesterol, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you already follow a diet that is low in saturated fats, eating nuts could help you lower your cholesterol, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Nuts may also lower your risk of developing diabetes, which is another risk factor for hypertension, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Sodium
A low-sodium diet can help you lower your blood pressure, and each ounce of dry roasted cashews without added salt has only 5 mg sodium. An ounce of salted, roasted cashews has 181 mg sodium, and 2 tbsp of salted cashew butter has 174 mg. Healthy adults should not have more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, and a low-sodium diet, with a limit of 1,500 mg per day, is recommended for those with hypertension, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Magnesium and Potassium
You need magnesium for metabolism, strong bones, nutrient transport and healthy blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Each ounce of cashews supplies 74 mg magnesium, or 19 percent of your daily value. Cashews have 160 mg potassium, and healthy adults should get at least 4,700 mg per day to help regulate their blood pressure, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.
Recommendations
Cashews can be a part of a meal plan based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet. This eating pattern may lower high blood pressure or prevent you from developing hypertension, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. A 2,000-calorie DASH diet includes four to five weekly servings of seeds, legumes, or nuts, such as cashews. Other components of the diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and reduced-fat dairy products.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nuts and Seed Products
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Nuts; Victoria Drake; June 2009
- University of Maryland; Hypertension; Steven Ehrlich; September 2008
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Magnesium; Victoria Drake; August 2007
- Mayo Clinic; High Blood Pressure (Hypertension); March 2011
