Cashews
Varieties Available
- Whole raw cashews
- Whole roasted (no salt) cashews
- Whole roasted salted cashews
Health benefits of cashew nuts
- Cashews are high in calories. 100 g of nuts provide 553 calories. They are packed with soluble dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and numerous health-promoting phyto-chemicals that help protect from diseases and cancers.
- They are rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated-fatty acids like oleic, and palmitoleic acids. These essential fatty acids help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol in the blood.
- Cashew nuts are abundant sources of essential minerals. Minerals, especially manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium are concentrated in these nuts. A handful of cashew nuts a day in the diet would provide enough of these minerals and may help prevent deficiency diseases. Selenium is an important micronutrient, which functions as a co-factor for antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione peroxidases, one of the most powerful antioxidants in the body. Copper is a cofactor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Zinc is a co-factor for many enzymes that regulategrowth and development, gonadal function, digestion, and DNA (nucleic acid) synthesis.
- Cashews are also a good source of many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B 6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). 100 g of nuts provide 0.147 mg or 32% of daily-recommended levels of pyridoxine. Pyridoxine reduces the risk of homocystinuria, and sideroblastic anemia. Niacin helps prevent “pellagra” or dermatitis. These vitamins are essential for metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates at the cellular level.
- Cashews hold a small amount of zea-xanthin, an important pigment flavonoid antioxidant, which selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes. It is thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV ray filtering functions and helps prevent age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in the elderly.
Storage
Store under refrigeration for up to 6 months. This item can be frozen.
Nutritional information sources: nutrition-and-you.com, USDA National Nutrient data base
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 553 Kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 30.19 g | 23% |
| Protein | 18.22 g | 32.5% |
| Total Fat | 43.85 g | 146% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.3 g | 8.5% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 25 µg | 6% |
| Niacin | 1.062 mg | 6.5% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.864 mg | 17% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.417 mg | 32% |
| Riboflavin | 0.058 mg | 4.5% |
| Thiamin | 0.423 mg | 35% |
| Vitamin A | 0 IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin E | 5.31 mg | 35% |
| Vitamin K | 4.1 µg | 3% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 12 mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 660 mg | 14% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 37 mg | 4% |
| Copper | 2.195 mg | 244% |
| Iron | 6.68 mg | 83.5% |
| Magnesium | 292 mg | 73% |
| Manganese | 1.655 mg | 72% |
| Phosphorus | 593 mg | 85% |
| Selenium | 19.9 µg | 36% |
| Zinc | 5.78 mg | 52.5% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 0 µg | — |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 0 µg | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 22 µg | — |
