Almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios or cashew nuts, dry fruits are highly prized for their essential fatty acid content, but also for their richness in nutrients. Cashew nuts especially, are excellent for health and bring a lot of benefits to the body. Let's find out.
Cashew nut is a fruit of the cashew tree mainly grown in Brazil and India. Normally, cashew nuts grow inside a "false fruit". They are thus covered with two hulls, one green on the outside and another hard and of darker color which is inside the latter.
The inside of the nut contains a crescent-shaped almond, wrapped in a white film. This is the cashew nut.
Once harvested, the cashew nuts are dried in the sun in their shells. Then, they are roasted in order to rid them of the toxic acid contained in their shell. Cashew nuts can be eaten alone as a snack, as they can be added to different dishes to compliment them.
Now that we know the origin of this dry fruit and its uses, it is time to look at these benefits!
Indeed, because of their composition, cashew nuts are excellent for health. They have many therapeutic virtues and have been used for a long time to relieve many ailments.
Here are some benefits of cashew nuts:
Nourishes the body:
Cashew nuts are very rich in nutrients. They include magnesium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, iron, selenium, vitamins E, K, B1, B2 and B6, as well as vitamin B9 and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5).
All these nutrients are essential to the functioning of our body:
Vitamin B5 plays an important role in the manufacture of neurotransmitters and steroid hormones.
Vitamin B6 participates in the formation of red blood cells, the proper functioning of the immune system and intervenes in the metabolism of fatty acids and proteins.
Vitamin B2 contributes to energy metabolism, tissue development and repair, and hormone synthesis.
Selenium works in synergy with an antioxidant enzyme and thus helps to avoid the formation of free radicals.
Copper is essential for the production of collagen and hemoglobin
Zinc contributes to immune responses and plays an important role in wound healing and the production of genetic material.
Consuming cashew nuts regularly would thus feed the body and prevent dietary deficiencies.
Reduces cholesterol:
Cashew nuts are rich in phytosterols, substances with a structure similar to that of cholesterol. According to a meta-analysis, with over 40 clinical trials, the daily intake of 2 g of phytosterols can lower cholesterol levels by 10%.
This oilseed also contains many monounsaturated fatty acids known to be beneficial to heart health because they can reduce the level of bad cholesterol when they replace saturated fatty acids and can prevent oxidation this type of cholesterol .
Relieves depression:
It has been scientifically proven that cashews can help reduce depressive episodes. This antidepressant effect is mainly due to the tryptophan contained in the cashew nuts. It is an amino acid precursor of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and which, present in low levels in the body, can lead to a depressive state. Several studies have shown that high concentrations of tryptophan in the brain stimulate the synthesis of serotonin, which would greatly help relieve depression.
Cashew nuts are also rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps prevent and treat depression.
Thus, consuming a handful of cashew nuts would provide between 1000 and 2000 mg of tryptophan, making them an excellent natural antidepressant, with fewer side effects.
So add cashew nuts to your diet and be sure to eat them daily to enjoy their many benefits. Note, however, that this food is very caloric. If you are looking to lose weight, you must control your servings!