Cashews

Cashews are subtly sweet, nutty, and have the most satisfying bite to them. You can simply eat them plain or as a great addition to many recipes. Cashews can be ground up into a creamy nut butter or an even creamier cashew cheese. They’re excellent in raw desserts, smoothies, vegetable stir-frys, salads, grain dishes, granolas, and made into cashew milk.

  • Cashews contain monounsaturated fats, which are the same wonderful heart-healthy fats found in olive oil, avocado, and other nuts. Notably, cashews contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat known to help protect against cancer and heart disease.
  • Five large human studies, which looked at how disease spreads and can be controlled, estimated that substituting nuts for the same amount of carbohydrates in an average diet resulted in a 30% reduction in heart disease risk. A reduction of 45% occurred when fat from nuts was substituted for saturated fats, which are found primarily in meat and dairy products.
  • Cashews contain copper, which plays an important role in the removal of free radicals, developing bone and connective tissues, and the functioning of metabolic processes.
  • Along with copper, cashews contain many minerals including magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc.
  • Don’t be scared of the fat in cashews! A 28-month study published in the journal Obesity, showed that people who ate nuts at least twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never ate nuts.

Vegukate Tips:

Store cashews in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to six months, or in the freezer for up to a year.