Know the Benefits, The Risks and Side Effects of Cashew Nuts

Nuts are one type of much-loved healthy food, one of them is cashew nuts. Cashew nuts have a savory taste with a sweet combination makes it very suitable for salad seasoning.

Cashew nuts have many benefits for health because it contains nutrient content such as antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and others. What are the benefits? Let’s see here.

health benefits of cashew nuts

Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts


1. Cardiovascular System

Good fat content in cashews keeps our heart healthy. The fat function is very important for the body because it serves to help increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins vitamin A, D, E, and K., In addition, there are also polyunsaturated (PUFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) in nuts cashews are beneficial for heart health.

By consuming cashew nuts regularly also useful to control cholesterol levels in the body is to increase good cholesterol levels and lower bad cholesterol levels so we will avoid various diseases such as stroke, heart attack, hardening of the arteries and others.

Cashews are also very well consumed by people who suffering hypertension. With increased levels of good cholesterol affects the reduction of triglyceride levels and helps in stabilizing blood pressure.

2. Reduce Hypertension

One of the magnesium benefits intakes for the body is to regulate blood pressure levels. High blood pressure can be a serious problem if left unchecked because it can threaten the cardiovascular system resulting in stroke, heart attack, atherosclerosis, etc. By consuming cashew nut routine is expected to prevent at the same time lowering high blood pressure.

 Hypertension is also called silent killer because people who suffer it will tend to be susceptible to deadly diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, etc.  Patients with hypertension are also more susceptible to diabetes. Instead of treating hypertension, it is best to prevent it from consuming good foods to help control high blood pressure including cashew nuts.

3. Maintain Health Nerves and Muscles

Consuming enough cashew nut regularly is also beneficial to keep our nerves and muscle health strong because of the magnesium content contained in cashew nuts.

4. Good for Diabetes Patients

Consuming cashew nut adequately and regularly is very beneficial for people who have diabetes. The glycemic index of cashews is 25 which means cashews are low glycemic index foods that release the sugar into the bloodstream slowly. High levels of magnesium in cashews also play an important role in regulating our body's blood sugar levels.

Consuming cashew helps in lowering the risk of type-2 diabetes. Diabetes tends to increase bad cholesterol levels, lower cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. This condition is called diabetic dyslipidemia. Eating cashews is very effective in controlling them, and ensuring good cholesterol levels rise and bad cholesterol levels decrease.

5. Prevent from Some Types of Cancer

Cashew consumption fairly and regularly is beneficial to reduce the risk of developing various types of cancer due to various compounds such as flavonoids, and antioxidants. These antioxidants serve to ward off free radicals and stabilize the ions to prevent it from damaging our body cells and reduce the risk of cancer. Cashew nuts are very effective in preventing tumor cells and so as not to develop any worse.

6. Good for Bone Health

Cashews are rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus is necessary to maintain bone health, carbohydrate, and fat absorption, help protein synthesis, and maintain overall cell health. Therefore, by consuming cashews, the phosphorus needs in the body will be fulfilled.

In addition, cashews also contain copper which is also important for bone health. The impact of copper deficiency on the body can be dangerous because it can cause irregular heartbeat, osteoporosis, and anemia. Cashews contain enough magnesium to meet the needs of your copper intake.

7. Avoid from Anemia

Cashews are rich in iron. The benefits of iron for the body such as to help increase blood oxygen in cells so as to ensure adequate oxygen in the blood in every cell of our body, thus the body will be protected from fatigue and anemia.

Benefits of cashew nuts for pregnant women is none other than preventing pregnant women from anemia, pregnant women need an adequate intake of iron that can be obtained from consuming cashew nuts.

8. Reducing Risk of Gallstones Formation

Gallstones consist of cholesterol that accumulates in the gallbladder. Gallstones result in severe abdominal pain, disruption of liver and kidney function. Regularly consuming cashews in moderate amounts is beneficial to reduce the risk of gallstone formation, since cashew nut is useful in regulating cholesterol levels by increasing good cholesterol and lowering bad cholesterol levels.

9. Boost immune system

Consuming cashew nuts regularly (but in moderation) is effective in boosting the immune system because it contains antioxidants and zinc found in cashews. Antioxidants can stabilize our body ions and prevent cell damage, and zinc plays a role in making our immune system stronger to fight microbial infections, accelerate wound healing, and help protein synthesis.

10. Effectively Lose Weight

Cashews include eating with high calories. In 100 grams of cashews, there are 553 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 44 grams of fat. Although the calorie content is high, by consuming cashew nut regularly with sufficient amount can lose weight because of good cholesterol contained in it. Cashew nuts help in reducing the buildup of fat and cholesterol in the liver thus helping in regulating weight

Benefits of cashew nuts can keep our eyes healthy because of the high antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and lutein in it. Cashews are excellent for preventing our eyesight from harmful sunlight radiation, even lowering the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

11. Lowering Stress / Depression

Daily activity busy and stressful life has become a part of our lives. We must be able to control stress because it can cause many health complications like asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, obesity, etc. Therefore it is very important for us to relieve stress/depression and throw it away from our lives.

Eating a handful of cashews will help to make the nervous muscles tense to loosen so they can calm the mind and help relieve stress. Cashews are anti-depressant because of the amino acid content of t-tryptophan. It breaks down into niacin and serotonin, as compounds that can soothe stress and promote a sense of happiness.

12. Good Source of Vitamin K

Cashews are good sources of foods that contain vitamin K. The benefit of Vitamin K is important in helping the blood form clots so as to reduce more blood loss at the time of injury, in addition to making our bones stronger, reducing the risk of fractures, reducing the risk of getting cancer, and good for our brain health.

13. Increase Energy

Cashews are a good source of energy because it contained the high number of calories. By consuming 100 grams of cashew nuts a person can get about 553 calories of energy so beneficial for the formation of body energy.

In addition, in the presence of thiamine in cashew nuts also play an important role in the formation of energy in the body. Thiamine is a nutrient that serves to convert sugar into energy and thiamine deficiency can cause muscle pain to memory disorders.

The above points are some of the health benefits of cashew nuts. Although cashew nut is rich in minerals and vitamins so it provides many benefits for health but still can cause side effects of cashews that may possibly arise if consumed in excess. Therefore, it is advisable to eat cashews to taste just enough.

The Risk of Cashew Nuts

Raw Cashews are Dangerous - Although we cannot find raw cashew nuts in stores or markets but if you get them avoid eating raw cashew nuts.

This is because raw cashews contain poison ivy and sumac. In addition, the oil contained in cashews can cause itching on our skin.

Cashews that are commercially marketed are safe to consume because they are already dried and roasted at high temperatures thus destroying all the remaining toxins so very safe to eat.

Side Effects of Consume Excess Cashews


1. Obesity

Although cashew nuts can help you lose weight because of its fat content. However, if consumed in excess can increase weight to obesity because of high-calorie content in cashew nuts. Obesity is not good for health because it can lead to other health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, stroke, cancer, cardiovascular problems, etc.

2. Excess Sodium intake

Sodium content in cashew nuts is not too high in 100 grams there are only 12 mg of sodium, but when cashew nuts are served in salted form, the level of sodium in salted cashews increases about 181 milligrams of sodium per ounce.

This high sodium level is very harmful to health because it can cause high blood pressure and can cause other health problems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that healthy people should not consume more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day and people at risk for heart disease should not consume sodium more than 1500 mg per day. Although the sodium content of cashews per 100 grams does not look high enough but if a person consumes too many cashews, the number will continue to multiply.

3. Can Cause Allergies

Eating too many cashews is dangerous because they can pose a risk of an allergic reaction. As in article published in the journal Archives of Diseases in Childhood, states that anaphylaxis or airway narrowing is found to often occur in people who suffer from cashew allergies rather than people with peanut allergies.

4. Can Disrupt Certain Drug Reactions

Magnesium in cashews can interact with drugs such as antibiotics, diabetes medications, thyroid drugs, etc. You should first consult with your doctor if you want to consume cashew nuts while taking a certain medication.

5. Cause Hypertension

Consuming too much-salted cashews can lead to hypertension and other health problems due to high sodium levels. The sodium level in cashews is very low (in 100 grams about 12 milligrams of sodium) which means it is better to eat cashew nuts than cashew nuts.

If you eat salted cashew nuts, consume occasionally and do not much.

6. Not Suitable for People with Headaches and Migraines

Eating cashews is not suitable for people suffering from headaches and migraines because amino acids such as tyramine and phenylethylamine are present in it. Although these amino acids are good for our health and help in maintaining normal blood pressure levels and giving a sense of well-being, but these amino acids can cause headaches in these sensitive individuals.

If you are suffering from headaches and migraines should avoid eating cashews because the amino acid content in cashews will increase the pain in the head. Although amino acids are good for health for people who are not having headaches.

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