- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
10 Reasons Why You Cannot Eat Cashews And Feel Sad
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
Who doesn’t love cashews? We must admit they are one of our favorites. Here’s a little known fact: Cashews are in the same family as mangos, pistachios, poison ivy, and poison oak! Cashews are the seed of a fruit called cashew apples. Native to South America, they are also grown in China, Thailand, Colombia, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
There are few places in America where cashew trees grow well, which would explain why the US is one of the largest importers of cashews. Cashews were spread around the world by Portuguese sailors during the 16th century.
There are tons of reasons why you should be eating more cashews. We have narrowed down the top 10 reasons why you simply cannot eat cashews and feel blue.
1. They Prevent Gallstones
If you have ever had a gallstone, you know how much they can hurt! You will be happy to know that one Harvard study, which was conducted over a 20 year period showed that women who consumed a minimum of 1 oz. of nuts, such as cashews, per week, had a 25 percent lower risk of developing painful gallstones. Reducing your risk of gallstones, simply by munching on some delicious cashews, is a good reason to be happy.
2. Rich Source of Magnesium
Cashews are a terrific source of magnesium, with just 1 oz. giving you a whopping 81.8 mg of magnesium, a mineral that almost all Americans have a deficiency. Magnesium is vital for healthy bones. In fact, most of the magnesium found in our body resides in our bones. Without magnesium, we wouldn’t be able to get calcium in our bones. Magnesium is also important for the regulation of our muscles. Common symptoms of a magnesium deficiency are migraines, muscle cramps, muscle soreness, high blood pressure, and extreme fatigue. Be happy that you don’t have to deal with any of those problems because you are eating cashews!
3. Help You to Lose Weight
Although many people live in fear of nuts because of their high fat content, you should feel free to indulge since many studies have proven that eating nuts, in moderation, do the exact opposite. The journal called Obesity published a study which showed that those who consumed nuts at least twice a week were 31 percent less likely to pile on the pounds. Of course, nuts do still contain calories and fat, so you don’t want to munch on them all day long. Take delight in knowing that just one ounce of delicious cashews is all you need to get all the vitamins and health benefits your body needs.
Continue to Page 2
Photo credit: bigstock.com
4. Helps Control Blood Pressure
Because of their high magnesium levels, cashews can go a long way towards keeping your blood pressure under control. This isn’t to say that you don’t need other vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, for the regulation of your blood pressure, but eating an ounce of cashews each day can go a long way towards reaching your goal. That is certainly happy news.
5. Full of Fiber
Fiber should be an important part of our diets as they improve digestion and keep the colon moving. When things in the colon are being expelled each day, they remove toxins from the body as well. So if you experience bouts of constipation, let it be known that eating a handful of cashews each day can help to rectify this problem.
6. Good for the Heart
The British Journal of Nutrition published a study which showed that cashews are among some of the best foods when it comes to antioxidants. Antioxidants are important for the good health and maintenance of our hearts. This same journal published an additional study which also showed that eating nuts, such as cashews, lowered the risk of coronary heart disease, which is enough to make anyone who loves these nuts jump for joy!
7. Fights Cancer
If this isn’t a happy fact, what is? Cashews are little treasure chest of proanthocyanidins, a special type of antioxidant with anti-cancer capabilities. Proanthocyanidins have been shown in some studies to stop the spread of cancer cells and starve tumors. Cashews are also high in copper, which kills free radicals in the body that cause damage to our DNA and can be a cause of cancer, as well as many other diseases.
Continue to Page 3
Photo credit: bigstock.com
8. Rich Source of Copper
Copper is a mineral that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Copper is necessary for all types of body functions including the production of hormones, the activity of enzymes, and proper brain function. Cooper also helps the body to make red blood cells, stopping people from becoming anemic. Smile about the copper in cashews and all the good stuff it is doing for your body.
9. Healthy Fats
All nuts contain fat and cashews are no different, but they are lower in fat than other nuts. You can feel really happy knowing that the fats in cashews are the heart healthy monounsaturated kind of fats. Cashews also contain an important type of fat called oleic acid, which is the same type of unsaturated fat that is found in olive oil. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study which found that when diabetics consumed more oleic acid and other healthy types of monounsaturated fats, their triglyceride levels were significantly decreased.
SEE ALSO: 12 High Fat Foods That Are Surprisingly Healthy
10. Cashews are the Anti-Depression Nut
According to Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, eating two handfuls of cashews each day is the therapeutic equivalent of prescription medicine Prozac. Two ounces (about two handfuls) of cashews has about 2,000 mgs of tryptophan, which has been shown in studies to work as well as many prescription antidepressants. Once consumed, the body converts tryptophan into serotonin, which is that feel good hormone that makes you feel happy and helps you sleep. Many prescription antidepressants, such as Paxil and Prozac, mimic serotonin or they keep the body’s natural serotonin levels unnaturally high. Cashews can keep you feeling happy without all the nasty side effects that prescription drugs often have.
It’s interesting to note that most “raw” cashew nuts are truly raw. The inside layer of the cashew nut shell has a toxic layer that must be removed properly, otherwise the nut is inedible. Most companies will steam the shell open, which cooks the nut. A few companies boil the nuts in oil, which will also remove the shell but it, too, also subjects the nut to a high temperature, which could destroy some of the nutrients. There are a few companies out of Indonesia which use a specially designed tool which removes the shell cleanly without subjecting the nut to a high temperature. If you can find this type of nut, you will be guaranteeing yourself that you are getting all of the benefits that cashews have to offer.
References:
Jayebird58
Sep 21, 2017 at 9:16 am
Dr. Gundy says that Cashews are Toxic and should never be eaten under any circumstances, because of their high Lectin content! Someone needs to have a talk with Dr. Gundy and tell him to stop spreading Food Fear Porn on his website! Or tell us the whole, factual truth about Cashews!
Barunka Chu-Lova
Sep 26, 2017 at 6:54 am
have anyone tried a 5-htp supplement for a natural mood management ? I’ve come across this article and think it’s worth a try … brain-feed.com/four-ways-your-mood-can-be-managed-naturally