This week it’s cashew health benefits from Kat’s Kitchen – I think they are my favourite nut! They are so versatile – I love them in salads, stir-fries, blitzed with water to make an alternative creamy sauce or just on their own. Delicious!
Cashews are light coloured and kidney-shaped and have a wonderful delicate flavour. They belong to the same family as mangoes and pistachio nuts. The nuts are in fact seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple which is the fruit of the cashew tree. I remember when I first saw them growing I was a bit surprised!
Cashews aren’t sold in their shells as there is a toxic resin on the inside of their shells which needs to be removed during processing before the nuts can be eaten.
The cashew tree is native to the coastal areas of North East Brazil. These days the leading producers of cashews are India, Brazil, Tanzania and Nigeria. And, the cashew ranks only second to the almond in terms of the nine tree nuts of most importance across the world.
Here are some other reasons to include almonds in your diet:
Cashew Health Benefits
- Great source of mono-saturated fat which supports good heart health and low cholesterol levels
- Good source of protein which supports health muscle
- Protects against cancer – also due to the oleic acid which is the mono-saturated fat which supports good heart health