Cashew is a kind of nuts which is very beneficial for health if we add them in our daily routine just like other food which we eat but in a balance form. Normally when we take 18 normal size cashews it gives us about 1 oz of nutrient, as excess of intake is not good in every kind of food so you should take cashews in a balance form. Cashew is a kind of nut which can serve our health in many ways. Normally the fat increases the cholesterol level in the body and results in heart diseases but there is a kind of fat which lessens the cholesterol level and prevent the heart diseases which is called monounsaturated fat, it is found in the raw cashews, about 75 percent of fats in raw cashews contains the fat which has low cholesterol content also this is the same type of fat which we get in olive oil.

Nutritional Facts of Cashew Nuts:

The milky sweet and crunchy yummy cashew nut is a favorite between meals. It is considered as a delicacy in Brazil and the Caribbean and is also found in local markets all the year round. Cashew trees are natives to the coastal regions of northeastern Brazil and were spread across the globe by Portuguese explorers. Cashew nuts are kidney shaped seeds that adhere to the base of the fruit of the cashew tree called cashew apple. The nuts are kidney bean shaped, creamy white in color and feature a smooth surface, which is firm yet delicate. The shell of the cashew nut contains a caustic resin, which is removed carefully before consumption. Cashew nuts also make awesome puddings, stir fry dishes, etc. Cashews are rich in monounsaturated fats and oxidants, which is why they are treasured and relished across the world.
100g of cashews provide 30.19g of carbohydrates, 18.22g of proteins, 43.85g of fats; dietary fiber is 3.3g, and calories about 553 Kcal.

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 that help to lower or bad LDL cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

• Cashew nuts are very rich source of minerals. Minerals especially manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium are concentrated in the nuts. A handful of cashew nuts a day in the diet would provide enough of these minerals and prevent deficiency diseases. Selenium is an important micronutrient, which functions as co-factor for antioxidant enzymes. Copper is a cofactor for many vital enzymes.  Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.

• Cashews are also rich in many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish and essential for metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates at cellular levels.

• In addition, the nuts are also containing small amount of Zea-xanthin, an important flavonoid antioxidant, which selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes.