Top Benefits of Cashew Nuts

Even though there are several cashew benefits, we’ll only look at the top benefits that have been scientifically proven. Here, we’ll take a look at the benefits of cashew nuts for brain, cashew benefits for skin, cashew nuts benefits for male and the overall health benefits of kaju or cashew.

1. They are Heart-Healthy

The presence of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in cashews make them very beneficial for the heart. In simple terms, these fatty acids are nothing but the ‘healthy’ fats that are extremely essential for your body.

The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol) as well as the triglyceride levels in your body thus reducing the chances of strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular diseases. They are also known to maintain the levels of HDL or the ‘good cholesterol’ in the body. Maintaining the levels of cholesterol is extremely important in keeping several heart diseases at bay.

There have been several studies, including one published in the British Journal of Nutrition to support this claim.

2. Help in Lowering Blood Pressure

Increased blood pressure or hypertension is a condition that affects many. It is important to have this condition under control in order to stay away from a number of health threats. Being a very good source of magnesium, one of the benefits of cashew nuts is that it lowers blood pressure.

Researchers have found out that just 300 mg of magnesium a day for a month is enough to lower blood pressure and so, a handful of cashews every day can prove very beneficial.

To relax your blood vessels and improve blood flow, magnesium plays an important role. The presence of potassium in cashews is also responsible for lowering blood pressure.

3. Beneficial for Type 2 Diabetes

Another one of the incredible benefits of kaju is that they are very good for diabetic people as well. Cashews are a good source of fiber and this nutrient helps in preventing spikes in the blood sugar levels.

A study conducted found out that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed cashews regularly had overall lower insulin levels as compared to diabetic people who didn’t consume cashews.

All in all, cashew nuts are quite diabetic friendly. So, if you suffer from type 2 diabetes, adding cashews to your regular diet can do wonders for you.

4. Cashews Help in Weight Management

People who consume nuts regularly, including cashews, tend to lose and manage weight better. There is a common misconception that consuming nuts leads to weight gain. However, that isn’t really true as nuts contain properties that are helpful for weight loss. In fact, a study conducted by Journal of Nutrition indicates that people who consume nuts regularly have a lower BMI as compared to those who don’t.

This is because cashews are a good source of protein, fiber and healthy fats that contribute to weight loss and help maintain a healthy weight. As a result, cashews are excellent snacks for those looking to shed a few kilos. Isn’t this one of the best cashew benefits?

5. Improve Bone Health

The benefits of cashew nuts also includes improved bone health. As cashews are one of the few food sources of copper, they are very good for the bones. A copper deficiency is often associated with a lower bone mineral density.

The presence of magnesium in cashews also makes it a bone-healthy food. Magnesium is very important for bone formation and it also helps with better assimilation of calcium into the bones.

Thus, for stronger bones and reduced chances of osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases, cashews are very beneficial.

So, if you haven’t already, make sure to add cashews to your diet.

6. Prevents the Formation of Gallstones

Your gallbladder secretes bile and excessive levels of cholesterol in the bile leads to its crystallization, thus forming gallstones.

The formation of gallstones has become a very common issue these days, with a significant percentage of the population getting affected by it. It is more common in women than in men and its risk increases with age.

However, one of the best benefits of kaju is that it can help prevent gallstones. In a study that was conducted of over 80,000 women, showed that women who consumed cashews regularly had a significantly lower chance of developing gallstones as well as a reduced risk of needing surgery to remove gallbladder. Consuming cashews can also improve the overall health of the gallbladder.

7. Good for the Blood

Again owing to its amazing copper content, eating cashews is good for keeping blood-related diseases at bay. As copper helps in eliminating the free radicals from the body, it is good for your blood health.

Moreover, eating cashews also assists in the formation of the red blood cells. A deficiency of copper can also lead to anemia. The copper in cashews also increases the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells, thus preventing anemia. So, if you suffer from anemia, cashews can be very good for you.

If you want to reap the benefits of cashews for your blood, include them in your daily diet.

8. Good for The Eyes

Another one of the top benefits of cashew nuts is that it is good for the eyes. Cashews are a very good source of a potent antioxidant called ZeaXanthin. This antioxidant is readily absorbed by the retina and forms a protective layer around the eyes, thus preventing it from the harmful UV rays.

Since cashews are also rich in healthy fats, they boost eye health and protect its cells from the free radicals. Another one of the cashew benefits for eyes is that eating them helps prevent age related macular degeneration in the elderly people.

To keep your eyes in the best health, add cashews to your diet.

9. Amazing for skin

Now, we’ll talk about the cashew benefits for skin. Did you know that these nuts are simply amazing for your overall skin health?

Since cashews are a powerhouse of zinc, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and other nutrients, they are very beneficial for healthy and glowing skin.

The benefits of cashew nuts for skin aren’t just limited to a glowing skin but eating them can also help keep your skin free of wrinkles. Also if you want to keep your skin free of blemishes or marks, eating cashews can be helpful in doing so.

10. Amazing Hair

Just like your skin, eating cashews can also transform your hair health. This is yet another of the incredible benefits of kaju.

If you dream of having shiny and lustrous hair, cashews could be your answer. Being a good source of copper along with the other nutrients, cashews are known to boost hair health.

Moreover, being packed with potassium, eating cashews could also prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.

Credit: kashmirica.com

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