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With a smooth texture and ultra-rich flavor, it’s no surprise that cashews are the most popular nut in the United States. While you might know they are delicious, what you might not know are the many positive effects that consuming cashews can have on your health. Not only are cashews high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, they also contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals that can benefit your body in different ways.
Cashews aren’t just a handy portable snack, they’re also incredibly versatile. In fact, these kidney shaped nuts can be made into non-dairy milk, cream and butter substitutes.
From better blood sugar control to a healthier heart, here are some of the effects you can expect from eating cashews. Then be sure to read our list of the 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat right now.
Many people mistakenly assume that nuts are a no-no when trying to lose weight because they are high calorie, high fat foods. But in fact, a 2017 study in Nutrients found that people who regularly snack on nuts are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than those who do not. This could be because nuts are incredibly filling (thanks to a powerful blend of protein, fiber, and fat), helping with weight loss.
While cashews have an ultra-rich taste, you might be surprised to learn that they actually contain slightly less fat and calories than many other popular nuts, like almonds, peanuts. and nuts. A serving of cashews contains around 137 calories on average, but a 2019 study published in Nutrients discovered that the human body can only absorb about 84% of these calories, because some of the fat they contain remains sealed in the fibrous wall of the nut.
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Over 100 million adults in America, nearly half of the adult population, suffer from high blood pressure. According to a 2019 study in Current developments in nutrition, however, eating cashews is linked to lower blood pressure. Cashew consumption has also been linked to lower levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease when levels are high.
Keep in mind, however, that not all cashews are created equal in this regard. Many packaged cashews are salty, and foods with excess salt have been linked to high blood pressure.
There are two types of cholesterol: LDL, the one that causes harmful fatty deposits in your arteries, and HDL, the one that can actually protect your heart by carrying LDL cholesterol from the arteries to the liver.
Ideally, you want your ratio to indicate lower LDL cholesterol levels and higher HDL levels. And that’s where cashews come in: A 2017 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found that incorporating cashews into your diet can lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol. Not only that, but a 2018 study in the Nutrition Journal have shown that a diet rich in cashews increases levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
In addition to cashews, here are 17 foods that lower cholesterol.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, above stroke, respiratory disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease combined. Fortunately, a 2007 review published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that the risk of heart disease was 37% lower in those who ate nuts more than four times a week.
You may already have known that nuts can be beneficial for your ticker, but cashews, in particular, may have an advantage here. A 2018 study published in the Nutrition Journal found that when people with type 2 diabetes ate 30 grams of raw, unsalted cashews per day for 12 weeks, they experienced a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors: their blood pressure fell and their HDL cholesterol increased.
The likely reason that cashews are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease is that they are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
It probably goes without saying that what you eat can play an important role in your body’s ability to control your blood sugar. Adding cashews to your diet could have a significant positive impact on your blood sugar levels, whether you have diabetes or prediabetes.
In a 2019 study in the International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, people with type 2 diabetes who consumed 10% of their daily calories from cashews had lower insulin levels than those who did not eat cashews, which is remarkable given that maintaining the Insulin levels at a low level helps in blood sugar management. This may be because cashews are so high in fiber, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes by releasing glucose more slowly and steadily into the bloodstream.
Copper plays an important role in various functions throughout the body, including the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, the production of red blood cells, the development of bones, blood vessels and connective tissue, and activation. of the immune system.
And guess what? One ounce of cashews contains 70% of your daily value of copper.
Nuts and seeds are well known for their impressive antioxidant content. Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize free radicals that cause damage in your body, thus protecting your body from disease and reducing inflammation in general. Cashews, in particular, are a great source of two types of antioxidants: polyphenols and carotenoids. Note, however, that roasted cashews appear to have greater antioxidant activity than raw nuts.
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