Have you ever asked “are cashews good for weight loss?”.
Well you’re in luck. In this article, we will be discussing all you need to know about cashews for weight loss.
Cashews contain a large amount of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, magnesium, vitamin A, D, K and more. When eaten in moderation, cashew nuts can contribute to a healthy diet that can benefit your health in a number of ways.
The nutrients found in cashews can assist weight loss. However, the high calories and fat content can also cause weight gain if eaten outside of recommended servings.
Cashews also contain a decent amount of saturated fat, although this only makes up a small amount of the total fat content in cashews with the majority being unsaturated fat.
Still, this makes it a bit confusing when wondering are cashews good for you to lose weight.
Cashews are available in a number of varieties, unsalted, salted, cashew butters, cashew milks and more. The way you choose to eat cashew nuts may have an effect on cashews weight loss benefits.
Eating anything in excess is not healthy and if you are using cashew nuts for weight loss, they really need to be eaten in moderation. We will talk more about this below.
In this article, we will be talking all about cashews and weight loss, theirs pros and cons and their health benefits
What Are Cashews?
Cashews are a tasty snack that are enjoyed by many people around the world. They can be eaten in a variety of ways and are a super versatile ingredient to have.
Cashews nuts are native to Northeastern Brazil and grow from cashew trees. Cashew nuts (also known as cashew seeds) are found at the end of the cashew apple that grows from the cashew tree.
The cashew nut which is encased in a toxic shell is plucked from the end of the cashew apple, left out to dry and then roasted. The cashews are shelled with a shelling machine and then roasted for 24 hours, peeled and cleaned. This labor intensive process is to ensure cashews are safe to eat.
Cashews are then sorted based on their size and if they are cracked and made into either unsalted or salted cashews, cashew butter, cashew milk or cashew oil.
Cashew Nut Nutrition
Cashew nuts are not only a tasty snack, they are super nutrient rich.
Cashew nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats, protein, iron, magnesium, copper, several vitamins and other minerals, phytochemicals and are low in sugar and sodium (provided you buy unsalted).
The nutrients found in cashew nuts are beneficial for your heart, can help manage blood sugar and lower bad cholesterol, increase and maintain bone health, your immune system and your metabolism.
The high magnesium content in cashew nuts has been found to help lower blood pressure and the iron content can help those dealing with anaemia. Magnesium is also responsible for metabolism and energy production, making it a super important component of weight loss.
Cashew nuts are calorie dense, with the recommended serving size of 28g coming in at 157 calories. This small serving will also give you 18% of your daily monounsaturated fat intake, 11% saturated fat, 10% of your protein and iron needs and 20% of your daily magnesium requirement.
So do cashews help you lose weight? Let’s find out next where we will be discussing health benefits of cashews, weight loss and more.
Are Cashews Good For Weight Loss?
We’ve all been waiting, so are cashews healthy for weight loss?
Cashews can be a good tool for losing weight but only if eaten in moderation.
Cashews will provide you with a decent amount of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. These fats influence your energy metabolism and help lower your cholesterol and lower sugar cravings, all of which is good news for weight loss.
Cashews also contain a decent amount of protein and magnesium which can help keep you fuller for longer, reducing the likelihood of snacking.
Research has shown there is a link between eating cashews and a lower body weight, with a reduced risk of being overweight or obese. If you eat moderate amounts of cashew nuts, they can also help lower your cholesterol levels.
Cashews are a lower carb snacking option than many other snacks available. They offer a great amount of nutrients with low sugar content, making it a great option for individuals looking to lose weight.
Cashews are high in calories and sticking to the serving size can sometimes be tricky. They are delicious and very moorish and even I can eat half of the bag in a day. However, this is not going to help you lose weight.
To help stick to the recommended serving size, a set of kitchen scales will save you any worry.
So, are cashew nuts good for weight loss? Yes, they can be a good tool in aiding weight loss but only when eaten in moderation.
Are Salted Cashews Good For Weight Loss?
Research has shown that a regular intake of cashew nuts will support good health and can aid in weight loss when eaten in moderation. Eating nuts salted is a better option than not eating them at all.
Sodium is needed in small amounts to carry out necessary functions in our body like maintain our fluid balance and relaxing our muscles. So it isn’t necessary to completely avoid it.
Salted cashews are not as salty as other snack options available. They will provide you with about 95mg of sodium per serving. Compare this to a bag of potato chips at 296mg sodium per serve and a huge lack of nutrients compared to cashew nuts.
Salted cashew nuts don’t look too bad of an option particularly when you have a salty craving. However too much salt can lead to bloating and high blood pressure. Be sure to stick to the recommended serving size.
Is Cashew Butter Good For Weight Loss?
We’ve answered the question, ‘are cashews good for losing weight?’ but how about cashew butter? Cashew butter can be another great tool for weight loss.
Cashew butter is full of the same nutrients as cashew nuts but in a deliciously dense food spread form. It is therefore particularly important to stick to the recommended serving size as you can easily eat more than recommended.
If you are interested to learn more about the benefits of cashew butter you can read more here
How To Eat Cashews For Weight Loss
To enjoy cashews while working to lose weight it is important to only eat the recommended serving size. It is also important that you eat a healthy and balanced diet accompanied with exercise to get the full benefits of cashews for weight loss.
Eating cashews daily is a great idea so long as you intend to stick to the recommended serving size. Are roasted cashews good for weight loss? Yes, roasted, ‘raw’, salted, cashew butter, etc can all be good for weight loss.
What Are Other Benefits Of Eating Cashews
Vegan friendly
Cashew nuts are a great option for those with vegetarian/vegan diets as it provides a good amount of unsaturated fats, protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. It is also a handy ingredient to have for a number of different vegan recipes.
Versatile
Cashews can be used in a number of ways. You can use cashew nuts in salads, stir fry, dips and desserts. You can make cashew milk, cashew butter, cashew oil, cashew meal and cashew cream.
Can Help With Anaemia
One serving of cashews contains 10% of your daily iron needs. Not bad when considering it is only a small snack.
Antioxidant Phytochemicals
Cashews also contain antioxidant phytochemicals which are known to help prevent certain cancers.
Conclusion
Now you have read about cashews for weight loss I hope you have a better understanding between cashews and weight gain, the answer to is eating cashews good for weight loss and more.
A regular intake of cashew nuts can be a helpful tool in losing weight, where diet and exercise are being managed as well. Without a healthy and balanced diet, cashew nuts will probably not assist you in your weight loss goals.
If you are working on weight loss, cashew nuts can be a great asset in your quest to lowering body weight and becoming healthier all round.
Find out if cashews are good for constipation here and why you should use cashew oil on your skin here as well as the benefits here. You can find all my guides to cashew-based products here.
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