9 reasons: That's why cashew nuts are so healthy

Cashew nuts. Cashews. With almost 600 calories per 100 grams, they are a real calorie bomb.

Nevertheless, cashews are a popular snack for in between meals – and that's a good thing.

In this blog post, we'll give you 9 reasons why it's worth reaching for cashews more often. You should also include them in your healthy breakfast.

Cashew nuts are very healthy. Despite their high calorie count, cashews are considered a true superfood and are therefore an important part of a balanced diet. They are particularly popular in Asian cuisine.

Here are some convincing reasons why cashew nuts should never be missing from your diet:

Discover healthy snacks like cashews here

1. Cashew nuts are an excellent source of energy

Cashew nuts and kernels are made up of almost 40 percent fat – which is why they are so high in calories. However, the majority of these fats are healthy fatty acids.

Cashew kernels should therefore not be considered fattening, but rather provide you with important fatty acids that not only provide energy but also have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system.

Cashews can, for example, lower cholesterol levels. The carbohydrates in cashews, on the other hand, make up about 30 percent. This is significantly more in cashews than in most other nuts and seeds, such as hazelnuts – depending on your diet, this can be seen as an advantage or a disadvantage.

However, since they are mainly long-chain carbohydrates and dietary fiber, eating cashew nuts helps to maintain a constant blood sugar level and reduces the risk of weight gain in this context.

Organic cashew nuts from Verival

2. Cashew nuts support muscle building

Cashew nuts contain 18 grams of protein per 100 grams and are therefore indispensable as a vegan source of protein. Plant proteins are particularly valuable for our nutrition.

The amino acids contained in cashews not only help to build and maintain muscles, but also fulfill other vital tasks.

Cashew kernels, for example, are essential building blocks for the formation and renewal of cells and tissue.

3. Cashew kernels make you happy

Cashew kernels contain a high proportion of L-tryptophan. This amino acid in cashew kernels is an important building block of the messenger substance serotonin.

Serotonin is one of the so-called “ happy hormones ” and thus ensures an increased sense of well-being and feelings of happiness. So you can literally “ eat yourself happy ” with cashews.

Verival Grain Free Sport Muesli with cashews

4. Cashew nuts help us to relax

It may sound like a myth that cashew nuts help us to relax, but it is not. The amino acid tryptophan, which has already been mentioned, is not only a building block of serotonin, but also the precursor of the sleep hormone melatonin.

This makes cashew nuts an ideal snack in the evening, as melatonin ensures restful sleep.

Furthermore, cashews are rich in the mineral magnesium, which acts as an antagonist to calcium.

While calcium is responsible for tensing the muscles, magnesium ensures relaxed muscles and thus works to counteract muscle cramps. Cashews are therefore popular with athletes.

5. Cashews for a healthy cardiovascular system

The unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in cashew nuts have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and are important for the human organism. Cashews only contain small amounts of saturated fatty acids.

For example, unsaturated fatty acids help to lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure.

Both help to prevent heart disease – which is why cashews, and nuts and kernels in general, are a must in any healthy diet.

The high magnesium content of cashews can also have a positive effect on heart function.

This important mineral in the kernels indirectly promotes the elasticity of blood vessel walls by stimulating the formation of elastin.

Elastin is one of the most important structural proteins in the body and is responsible for the all-important elasticity of blood vessels. Furthermore, magnesium can help to lower blood pressure and inhibit the formation of blood clots.

6. Cashew nuts support brain performance

The vitamins of the B complex contained in cashew nuts have a positive effect on brain performance. Cashew nuts are therefore superfood!

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is essential for the utilization of carbohydrates, for example, because it has a positive effect on the enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates.

Since the brain relies on energy in the form of glucose, and this substance is produced when carbohydrates are broken down, the importance of this vitamin for brain activity is obvious.

So cashew nuts are highly recommended when you need to do some mental work!

But some of the fatty acids also have a positive effect on brain performance. It is not for nothing that nuts and kernels are referred to as “brain food”.

7. cashew nuts for a strong immune system

Cashew nuts actually have a positive effect on the immune system. This is partly because cashew nuts contain plenty of zinc.

Zinc has antioxidant properties and thus counteracts free radicals that could otherwise harm our body.

In addition, zinc in cashew nuts can help improve the structure of the mucous membranes.

This makes it more difficult for viruses and bacteria to enter the body. Cashews can therefore help to strengthen your immune system.

8. Cashews for a healthy metabolism

The minerals contained in cashews, such as copper, iron and zinc, have a particularly positive effect on the metabolism.

Cashews not only play an important role in energy production, they also ensure optimal oxygen transport because iron is an essential component of hemoglobin (red blood pigment and oxygen transporter).

The B vitamins in cashews also ensure an optimal metabolism – so cashews or nuts are not only essential for the energy metabolism of skin cells but also regulate protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

And thus play an important role in supplying cells with essential nutrients.

9. Cashews support the nervous system

Cashews are literally good for the nerves – the vitamins they contain ensure the protection, development and regeneration of the nervous system.

Vitamin B1, on the other hand, not only affects the central nervous system but also the peripheral nervous system, as it is important for the transmission of electrical impulses between nerve and muscle cells. Cashews are therefore the ideal nerve food.

Nutritional value of cashew nuts

The nutritional value of cashew nuts shows an extremely healthy nutrient profile. The following table shows an overview of 100 grams of cashew nuts:

Special feature of cashew nuts:

The high proportion of the essential amino acid tryptophan in cashew nuts is found in hardly any other food in such high quantities.

There are also some people who are allergic to cashew nuts, but this is very rare.

Conclusion and practical tips for cashew nuts

Cashews are not fattening at all, but supply the body with essential nutrients and are a great source of protein. So cashews should definitely be on your menu – a handful of cashews, nuts, oats and other seeds and flakes a day can already have a positive effect on your body.

Cashew nuts can not only be easily processed into a plant-based milk alternative (cashew milk), but are also ideal as a topping for your muesli, granola or porridge or as an ingredient in creamy and healthy breakfast bowls – here is one of our favorite cashew recipes:

Cashew nuts. General information:

Cashews grow on the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale). The cashew tree is also called the cashu tree, cashew nut tree or kidney tree. The cashew tree originally comes from Brazil and belongs to the sumac family, just like the mango or the pistachio. Today, plantations can be found in tropical areas worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia. They are very undemanding and also grow in poor soils. The largest producers and suppliers of cashews are Nigeria, Tanzania, Vietnam, Burkina Faso, Indonesia and Mozambique.

Botanically speaking, cashew nuts are not nuts at all, but are the pure kernels of the cashew tree fruit and are, strictly speaking, a stone fruit. The cashew tree produces pear-shaped, thickened fruit stems. However, these stems (known as cashew apples) are false fruits. The actual fruit of the cashew tree, the cashew nut, which also contains the kernels, the so-called “cashew nuts”, is only found on this fruit stem. This means that the actual fruit of the cashew tree dangles from a stem on the cashew apple.

Cashew nuts & versatile uses

The cashew fruit is processed immediately after harvesting. Not only the cashew kernels are processed.

The cashew apple, for example, is processed into juice (cashew apple juice) or jam and is particularly rich in vitamin C. In India, schnapps is even distilled from the juice.

Cashew shell oil is extracted from the middle part of the fruit wall. This cashew oil is used for industrial and medicinal purposes.

The cashew fruit contains the cashew kernels or cashew nuts. We offer the cashew kernels raw and natural, roasted and salted, caramelized or seasoned.

Why does a kilogram of cashews sometimes cost more than seven times as much as peanuts? The reason: processing cashews is much more laborious and complicated than with other nuts. Cashew kernels in truly raw food quality are rare because only certain degrees of heating are allowed and the roasting, drying and further processing must be particularly gentle and elaborate.

Roasted cashew nuts are an excellent topping for a wide variety of dishes, such as porridge, salads, curries or stews. Furthermore, delicious spreads can be made from the kernels.

It is important to make sure that the cashews are of good quality and preferably organic.

BMI calculator

Have your BMI calculated quickly and easily now! With the Verival BMI calculator.

Order healthy snacks now

Frequently asked questions

Are cashews good for losing weight?

Cashews can help you lose weight because they have the lowest fat content of all nuts. Eating a handful of nuts a day provides your body with valuable amino acids, vitamins, minerals and proteins.

How many cashews per day?

For a balanced, healthy diet, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends eating a portion of 25 grams of nuts and cashews daily. For cashews, the daily requirement is about 12 pieces.