Cashews, A Very Energetic Dried Fruit

Ready to learn more about cashews? Below we will present several of the medicinal properties of this energetic fruit.

Cashews: a source of nutrients

Cashew nuts, also called cashews,  cashew or cashew nuts, grow in tropical and subtropical regions. They are trees of about 5 to 7 meters whose fruits are divided into two parts: the pseudo fruit and the nut. The former has a reddish rind and is juicy but sour, while the walnut is highly valued as a dried fruit throughout the world.

Among the many nutrients they have we can find :

• Vitamins: B1, B2, B3 and C.
• Minerals: Abundant potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron.
• Fats: Most of it is monounsaturated fat, that is,  healthy fats, and Omega-3 fatty acids .

Also check: Five nutritious fruit-based breakfasts

Would you like to know some of the properties of cashews? Next we will tell you why they are ideal to be part of a healthy diet. Continue reading!

Properties of cashews

Cholesterol reduction

According to research, the phytosterols present in cashews can have a significant effect in reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. That is why its consumption is recommended to aid in weight loss.

Role in cardiovascular health

Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, about 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 75% of this unsaturated fatty acid content is oleic acid, the same fat monounsaturated found in olive oil. Studies show that oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health, even in people with diabetes.

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They take care of eye health

Like other nuts, cashews contain significant amounts of antioxidant minerals, as well as vitamin E. Especially due to their great contribution of vitamin E, cashews are considered to be very good for our eyes. Thus, cashews are involved in eye health:

• Prevent or delay age-related diseases, such as cataracts or AMD.
• The crystalline lens, a fundamental organ for being able to focus correctly on nearby objects and on whose transparency depends that we have a good vision from all distances, is probably the element of our visual system that most directly benefits from the action of vitamins such as E, and also C and B2.
• Foods rich in vitamin E, such as cashews, are very good for the preservation of the conjunctiva.

Control of hypertension

The magnesium content of  this fruit is very high, helping to maintain a calcium-potassium balance in the body. Low magnesium levels are associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks.

In fact, cashews are proposed as part of one of the four or five servings of nuts and seeds that should be ingested as part of the DASH diet . This plan is for people with high blood pressure. However, as always, we advise you before making any drastic changes in your diet that you go to a specialist.

Also read: Everything you need to know about the paleo diet