The health benefits of cashews include a healthy heart, strong nerve and muscle function, aid in the formation of red blood cells, and an improved bone and oral health. They also provide a relief from diabetes, anemia, and gallstones. By offering an antioxidant defense, they also encourage a better immune system.

Cashews Nutrition Facts
Cashews are very nutritious and are a powerhouse of proteins and essential minerals including copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Sodium is also present in very small quantities. Cashews also contain vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2(riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6, folate, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), and vitamin K (phylloquinone). They are a source of oleic acid and provide a good quantity of monounsaturated fat and low amounts of polyunsaturated fats with no harmful cholesterol if consumed appropriately.

Cashew nuts are, strictly speaking, not nuts at all. The kidney shaped nuts can be eaten, on their own as a snack and they are often used in cooking as well. Adding cashews to your balanced diet can have many benefits and here are ten of the health benefits of cashew nuts:

1. Reduces the risk of developing gallstones - A study found that those who eat, at least, an ounce of cashew nuts every week has over 25% less chance of developing gallstones, than those who don’t eat them.

2. Improve the health of your heart - Another one of the important health benefits of cashew nuts is that cashews can improve the health of your heart. Most of the fat that cashews contain is the same healthy, oleic acid that is found in olive oil. Research has shown that oleic acid reduces triglyceride levels, which is associated with the onset of heart disease. Cashews are also cholesterol free and contain antioxidants, which help to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

3. Promotes healthy bones - Health benefits of cashew nuts include promoting healthier bones. Cashews are especially rich in magnesium, which is needed, in addition to calcium that cashews also contain, for the maintenance of strong, healthy bone structure. Insufficient levels of magnesium can also be the cause of high blood pressure and migraines.

4. Can help prevent cancer- Health benefits of cashew nuts don’t stop there. Cashews contain a type of flavanol called proanthocyanidins, which studies have shown restrict the growth of cancerous cells and starve tumors. In addition to this, cashews are a good source of copper, which help remove free radicals from the body.

5. Improves the health of skin and hair- Copper is also an essential ingredient contained in enzymes that are good for the skin and hair. Without an adequate supply of copper, these enzymes would be unable to do their job of creating the pigments that give hair and skin their color.

6. Aids weight loss- Weight loss aid is another one of great health benefits of cashew nuts. Although cashews are relatively high in fat, the fat that they do contain is the good kind of fat. It has been proven in studies that people, who eat nuts twice a week, are far less likely to put on weight, than those who don’t. Cashews should not be eaten to excess, but as a healthy, high fiber snack, they can form an important part of your diet.

7. Improves the nerves in your body- Health benefits of cashew nuts also include improved nervous system in your body. The high amount of magnesium found in cashews helps prevent calcium form entering the blood stream. If you have too much calcium in the blood stream it can lead to overactive nerve cells, as well as being the cause of muscle fatigue, soreness and tension.

8. Can help treat depression- Cashew nuts can even help treat depression. It has been claimed that a couple of handfuls of cashews has the equivalent effect of a prescription anti-depressant. Cashews contain an amino acid, called L-tryptophan, which is broken down in the body into niacin and serotonin, compounds that calm anxiety and promote a sense of well-being.

9. Provides essential Vitamin K- A 100 grams serving of cashews provides you with 4.1 µg of vitamin K. Without adequate vitamin K, blood would not clot properly, so when you cut yourself, a considerable blood loss could occur.

10. Assists the body in creating energy- Cashews contain thiamine, which plays a vital role in converting sugar to energy. A lack thiamine in your diet can lead to some very serious medical issues ranging from muscle pain to even the memory loss.

11. 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.

12. Pleasant sleep- After menopause, these cashew nuts can give you relaxed and pleasant sleep during nights.

13. Free Radicals- Cashew nuts help our body to utilize iron properly and eliminate free radicals which cause health problems.

14. Macular Degeneration-
Cashew nuts have the ability to filter Sun’s UV rays and protect us from macular degeneration

Source: beautyandtips, stylecraze