Why you should eat 3 to 4 cashew nuts daily — Nutritionist

Cashews are calorie foods, loaded with healthy fats that help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke among others. They are packed with vitamins E, K, and B6, along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, and selenium, all of which are important for maintaining good bodily function. Cashews […]

Cashews are calorie foods, loaded with healthy fats that help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke among others.

They are packed with vitamins E, K, and B6, along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, and selenium, all of which are important for maintaining good bodily function. Cashews are high in calories.

Experts say 100g of nuts provide 553 calories. They also say that the consumption of cashew nuts as well as the application of cashew oil on your scalp ensures healthy hair.

Cashews are rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower bad LDL cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol.

The health benefits of cashew nuts are surprising, so when you eat them know that you are doing something very positive for your body and mind, says a nutritionist, Mr Abdulateef Taiwo.

He said one of the major benefits of eating cashew nuts is that it reduces the risk of cancer, adding that the nuts are filled with copper and proanthocyanidins which are responsible for preventing cancer.

Taiwo said the role of the nuts is very important, sometimes being regarded as a meat substitute.

He said, “Cashew nuts are good for depression, for helping to boost your moods and stabilise your thoughts.

“A large handful of these tasty nuts provides one to two thousand milligrams of the important amino acid tryptophan which works just as good, if not better, than antidepressants, specifically prozac. It is the tryptophan that produces the feelings of mellowness.”

Quoting the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), he said the nuts are likely to be beneficial for human health, keeping a check on various ailments, such as heart disease.

He said cashew nuts are rich in copper, which plays an important role in the elimination of free radicals from the body. “Copper deficiency can lead to iron deficiencies such as anaemia. Hence our diet should contain a recommended quantity of copper. And cashew nuts are a good source.”

The nutritionist said people consuming nuts on a moderate and regular basis lose weight faster.

“Cashew nuts have good fats, which are recommended for a healthy body. The fat present in cashew nuts are responsible for the growth of good cholesterol and reduction of bad cholesterol.

“Cashew nuts give a lot of energy and also keep you satiated for a long time. Therefore, you can consume 3 to 4 cashew nuts every day for proper weight management.”

Speaking further, he said eating cashew nuts daily can save one from stomach ailments and also aid digestion.