Five Health Benefits of Eating Cashews

One of my favorite nuts are cashews. I could eat them every day! They're salty and oh so satisfying. Who doesn't enjoy a handful of cashews? When you munch on a mouthful of cashews you may be getting more than satisfying taste; these filling little nuts have health properties that make them an excellent snack choice when eaten in moderation. What are the health benefits of eating cashews?

Health benefits of eating cashews: Heart healthy fats

Although all nuts are relatively high in fat, they're rich in heart healthy monounsaturated fats. Unlike saturated fats that elevate cholesterol levels, monounsaturated fats have the opposite effect. Not only do they lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but they help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Cashews have one of the lowest overall fat contents of all of the common nuts and are a good source of oleic acid, the same fatty acid that makes olive oil so heart healthy. If you want to keep your ticker ticking, a handful of cashews a day could be your snack of choice.

Health benefits of eating cashews: Blood pressure lowering magnesium

A quarter cup of cashews supplies almost twenty-five percent of the daily requirement for magnesium. Magnesium plays an important role in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and is an important mineral for diabetics because it reduces insulin resistance. Studies have also shown that people who have low magnesium levels are at higher risk of heart disease. Like calcium, magnesium plays an important role in building and maintaining bone health.

Health benefits of eating cashews: Can they control weight?

Because cashews are high in protein, monounsaturated fats and fiber, they're both filling and satisfying. Studies have shown that people who eat nuts on a daily basis are less likely to gain weight and have a tendency to be thinner, on average, than those who don't. It may be that eating nuts like cashews is so filling that it reduces overall calorie consumption. Cashews should be eaten in moderation since they're energy dense and relatively high in calories. (a quarter cup has almost 200 calories).

Health benefits of eating cashews: They're a source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants, those free radical scavengers that help to protect cells from damage, are found in abundance in cashews. One more reason why cashews are a great choice.

Health benefits of eating cashews: They're rich in copper.

Copper is a mineral that the body can't produce so copper rich foods such as cashews are required for good health. A quarter cup of cashews supplies a third of the daily requirement for copper which is needed for maintaining healthy collagen, a substance that lines blood vessels and supports the skin and joints. Copper is also important for helping the body use iron and for production of melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color.

Now I have more excuses to eat cashews! :)