Cashews grow on an evergreen tree and are prominently cultivated in the tropical regions. Cashew nuts are actually seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale. Cashew nuts are widely used as a snack, preferably eaten lightly salted or sugared.
Some of the health benefits are:
1. Prevents Cancer:
Proanthocyanidins are a class of flavonols which fight against tumor cells by stopping them to divide further. These proanthocyanidins and high copper content in cashew nuts help fight against cancerous cells and keeps you away from colon cancer. This is one of the major cashew nut benefits.
2. Healthy Heart:
Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts and most of it is in the form of oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. They are cholesterol free and the antioxidants present keeps you away from heart diseases. Oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health by helping to reduce triglyceride levels, high levels of which are associated with an increased risk for heart disease. The magnesium in cashews helps lower blood pressure and helps prevent heart attacks.
3. Lowers High Blood Pressure:
Cashew nuts lower your blood pressure with the help of magnesium present in them.
4. Helps Hair:
Cashews are rich in the mineral copper. An essential component of many enzymes, copper plays its part in a broad array of processes. One copper-containing enzyme, tyrosinase, converts tyrosine to melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair and skin its color.
5. Healthy Bones:
Like calcium, magnesium is also important for bone health . Cashews are particularly rich in magnesium. It's a well-known fact that calcium is necessary for strong bones, but magnesium is as well. Most of the magnesium in the human body is in our bones. Some of it helps lend bones their physical structure, and the remainder is located on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to use as it needs. Copper found in cashews is vital for the function of enzymes involved in combining collagen and elastin, providing substance and flexibility in bones and joints.
6. Healthy Nerves:
Magnesium is stored on the bones surface which prevents calcium from entering the nerve cells and thus keeps the blood vessels and muscles relaxed. Insufficient amount of magnesium can lead calcium to enter the blood vessels leading them to contract. It also leads to high blood pressure, migraine headache etc.
8. Helps in Weight Loss:
Even though cashew nuts are considered as fats, it contains good cholesterol. So contrary to popular belief, those who eat cashews at least twice a week gain less weight when compared to those who eat less.
9. Anti-oxidants:
Selenium, copper, magnesium etc. act as co-factors for many enzymes.
10. Helps Digestion:
Cashew nuts help in growth and development, nucleic acid synthesis and digestion.
11. High on Vitamins:
Cashew nuts are rich in vitamins like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, niacin etc. These vitamins keep you safe from sideroblastic anemia, pellagra, etc.
12. Healthy Gums and Teeth:
As mentioned before, the magnesium content present in cashew nuts is very good for bones. So it gives healthy teeth as well as strong gums to hold them.
13. Pleasant sleep:
After menopause, these cashew nuts can give you relaxed and pleasant sleep during nights.
14. Free Radicals:
Cashew nuts help our body to utilize iron properly and eliminate free radicals which cause health problems.
15. Macular Degeneration:
Cashewnuts have the ability to filter Sun’s UV rays and protect us from macular degeneration.
Side effects:
Cashew nuts have certain drawbacks as well. Let us take a quick look at a few of them:
Binging on cashew nuts can lead to unnecessary weight gain because it is high in calories.
Nut allergies have become increasingly common in today’s world. Reaction to eating these nuts can sometimes be fatal. It is therefore, crucial that one consults a doctor immediately in case of symptoms of an allergy like hives, itchiness or difficulty in breathing.
Salted cashews are an easily available snack option. They are delicious in taste too. However, people with high blood pressure should avoid them because of the high levels of sodium in it.
People who are prone to migraines should avoid eating cashew nuts. This is because they contain amino acids that can cause headaches.
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