Cashew - The Nut With Numerous Health Benefits!

Cashew nut is an excellent snack alternative for every useless junk we have. Cashew does not only have a dynamic taste but also is a health booster. Inclusion of cashew nut in your daily diet will give you essential nutrients that are required in our body and is recommended for our well-being.

The origin of these nuts is from cashew tree which has a binomial name Anacardium Occidentale. This tree falls in the species of tropical evergreen trees and it produces cashew apple and the cashew seed. The cashew seed is consumed widely all over the globe. Cashew can be used in various recipes, can be processed into cashew butter or cashew cheese, or even it can be eaten on its own.
General and more popularly cashews are used in Indian and Pakistani cuisines for garnishing and enhancing the taste of different desserts and curries or sometimes cashews are grounded into a paste to form the base of a curry sauce or some sweets. Sometimes cashews are turned into powder forms to be used for the preparation of many Asian sweets and desserts.

Nutritional Facts.

The nutritional value of cashew nut is quite impressive and it has some of the most important health benefits that are very essential for an individual. Here we are accumulating the nutritional value of 100 gram of raw cashews:

Energy- 553 kcal (2,310 kJ).

Carbohydrates- 30.19 gram.

• Starch- 23.49
• Sugars-5.91
• Dietary fiber-3.3

Fat- 43.85 gram.

• Saturated fat- 7.783
• Monounsaturated fat- 23.797
• Polyunsaturated fat- 7.845

Protein-18.22 gram.

Vitamins-

• Thiamine (B1)-0.423 mg with a daily value of 37%.
• Riboflavin (B2)-0.058 mg with a daily value of 5%.
• Niacin (B3)-1.062 mg with a daily value of 7%.
• Pantothenic acid (B5)-0.86 mg with a daily value of 17%.
• Vitamin B6-0.417 mg with a daily value of 32%.
• Folate (B9)-25 mg with a daily value of 6 %.
• Vitamin C-0.5 mg with a daily value of 1%.
• Vitamin E-0.90 mg with a daily value of 6%.
• Vitamin K-34.1 mg with a daily value of 32%.

Minerals:

• Calcium-37 mg with a daily value of 4%.
• Copper-2.2 mg with a daily value of 110%.
• Iron-6.68 mg with a daily value of 51%.
• Magnesium-292 mg with a daily value of 82%.
• Manganese-1.66 mg with a daily of 79%.
• Phosphorous-593 mg with a daily value of 85%.
• Potassium-660 mg with a daily value of 14%.
• Selenium-19.9 mg with a daily value of 28%.
• Sodium-12 mg with a daily value of 1%.
• Zinc-5.78 with a daily value of 61%.

Scientifically proven benefits of Cashew nut that enhances our health and fitness.

Cashew nut is scientifically proven dry fruit that has numerous health benefits.

      The major benefits are:

• Helps in preventing heart disease: Cashew nuts are an excellent source of dietary fiber, which helps our body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and lastly vitamin K. Cashew nuts are an excellent producer of fatty acids that are an essential source for the development of brain and blood clotting.
• The healthy fats mentioned are monounsaturated fats (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA). They are an excellent medium for good heart health that helps in reducing bad cholesterol if taken in a subsequent amount, even though you are diabetic.

• Helps in building healthy muscles and nerves: As mentioned above in the nutrition facts, cashews contain magnesium which is very essential for the development of your muscles and bones. So, the inclusion of magnesium in your daily diet can enhance your muscle and bone development to a dynamic level.
• Helps in preventing blood disease: Including cashews as a part of your consumption routine in an appropriate amount can help you prevent from getting any sort of blood diseases. As cashew nuts are rich in copper, it helps in eliminating all kinds of free radicals from our body. Our diet should always contain the recommended amount of copper because copper deficiencies lead to iron deficiency and that leads to anemia. Thus cashew nuts are very essential for our body as it provides the recommended copper our body needs.
• Provides protection for your eyes: Our eyes are prone to get infected due to pollution. Cashew nuts contain Zea Xanthin which is a powerful antioxidant pigment. This particular pigment gets readily absorbed by our retina which in turn forms a protective layer over our retina that prevents the harmful UV rays from affecting our eyes.
• Highly beneficial for our skin: Cashew oils are derived from cashew seeds that work wonders on our skin when applied on a daily basis. As this oil is rich in zinc, selenium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorous which are essential elements for our skin, it helps our skin to remain healthy and glowing. Cashew nut oils also contain phytochemicals, proteins, and antioxidants. The high contents of selenium in cashew nut oil not only keeps our skin healthy but also helps in preventing acute cancers.
• Helps in weight loss: Consuming nuts as an alternative food for junks, enhances weight loss in a magical way. Cashew nuts contain Omega 3 fatty acids that boost up our metabolism and helps in the rapid weight loss process.
• Contains dietary fibers: Cashew nuts contain high percentages of dietary fibers like oleic acid and palmitic acids that are required by our body. As these fibers are not really produced by the body itself, it has to be consumed somewhat externally. So as a result cashew nuts are an easy and efficient source for these acids. These fibers help in digestion and other related issues.

ASAP Bars.

ASAP bars are an excellent alternative snack for every unhealthy snack that we binge upon. ASAP bars get their excellent taste and that nutty flavor from the cashew nuts that are included carefully into its composition. The inclusion of cashew nuts in these bars not only enhances the taste but also increases its nutritional value consecutively.