Are cashews really the culprit?!


What image comes to your mind when you hear “cashews”? Kaju katli, cashews garnished over pulao, cashews fried in ghee over piping hot Ven Pongal, and probably the word high-fat and/or cholesterol also came in to destroy the pleasure of visualizing eating a lip- smacking kaju katli.

Cashew has been associated with the terms “fattening”, “cholesterol- increasing” “high- calorie” etc. Ever thought why cashews got a bad reputation despite all the nuts being high in fat content? Isn’t that unfair!



Let’s do a deep dive to understand how true it is…

All plant- based foods have zero cholesterol, so they are not going to contribute to your cholesterol intake (I can sense a sigh of relief!). Yes, cashews are rich in fat (45 g/100 g), especially saturated fats which is linked with increase in LDL cholesterol (the villain). However, research shows that stearic acid which constitutes one- third of saturated fat in cashew has a neutral effect on blood lipids. Isn’t that sounding like honey to your ears?

If that is not enough, recent research also shows a significant decrease in LDL with regular intake of cashews. Some studies on the other hand show no difference in LDL due to cashew intake. Well, did that confuse you? Hold on, that means cashew intake is definitely not going to increase cholesterol levels. It could be due to high MUFA content (heart- healthy fats) in cashews, something deficient in most Indian diets.



*Out of the total fat content, saturated fat content is mentioned here.
Source: Indian Food Composition Table

Let’s move beyond fats to see the impressive nutrient profile that cashew offers- 6 mg iron, 307 mg magnesium, 635 mg potassium and 5 mg zinc (per 100 g).

Rest assured that a moderate intake of cashews (5-6 nos.) consumed as a part of well- balanced diet is beneficial for overall health. I hope after reading this article, you would snack on a handful of cashews at least twice a week, guilt- free! I believe in consuming a variety of food items, hence suggest you to include a variety of nuts in moderate amount in your regular diet.

This article is meant for increasing awareness and not intended as a substitute for medical advice.


If you found this article useful, do share with your friends and family, so that they also benefit from the right information.


Thanks for stopping by.

Subhashini

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