The nut of the day is the cashew nut. The cashew tree is a tropical evergreen tree that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple. It can grow as high as 14M, but the dwarf cashew tree grow to about 6M, and seems to produce more. Cashew nuts are actually the kidney shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple. They are considered delicacies of Brazil and the Caribbean. They are always sold shelled because the interior of the shells contain a caustic resin, known as cashew balm, which must be carefully removed before the nut is fit for consumption.
Here are some of the health benefits of this nut.
1. They are gluten free, low in sodium and low on the glycemic index.
2. They contain less fat than many other nuts, and what they do contain is primarily unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health.
3. They can help maintain your body's balance of minerals needed for optimum health, as they are high in mineral content. Most abundant is copper, which is needed for the production of hemoglobin, collagen, elastin and nerve fibers. Other minerals include magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, iron, potassium, selenium and calcium.
4. They contain some vitamin K, some vitamin B and a trace of vitamin E. Along with these vitamins, cashews add fiber and protein to your diet.
5. They can help regulate and control blood sugar. A study has shown that the anacardic acid improves the ability of sugar to enter the cells, which decreases the amount of sugar into energy, called glycolysis.
6. Cashews contain several antioxidant compounds that are considered anticancer agents.
An ounce of dry roasted cashews contains about 160 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and 9 grams of carbohydrates.
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