Finding healthy foods that you can eat on the go makes the process of sticking to a healthy and nutritious diet so much easier. Many of us know the importance of eating wholesome meals that are free from processed products, however, when it comes to our snacks we often opt for junk foods.
This is usually because it is so much more convenient to eat processed junk foods when we are on the move. Although this might save some time in the moment and satisfy our hunger, it can quickly lead to poor health as these fatty foods wreak havoc in the body. With a little bit of forward planning it is easy to have a range of healthy snacks available to you, and one great food for snacking on the go is the cashew nut!
Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts
Cashew nuts are full of protein, healthy fats and essential minerals, which are all great for promoting optimal health. When you eat a handful of cashew nuts as a snack they can satiate your hunger and give you a boost of energy to help you continue with your day.
Research has shown that regular consumption of cashew nuts can actually help to lower the risk of heart disease. Many studies support the findings that eating nuts will help to lower cholesterol levels, which in turn means good things for the health of your heart.
Protein
In order to maintain the health of your body tissue, and to support your muscles, you need to consume an adequate amount of protein each day. The recommended amount for women is 46 grams and for men it is 56 grams.
A one ounce portion of cashew nuts will provide your body with 5 grams of protein, helping you on your way to meeting your daily target. This is equal to approximately 18 cashew nuts. A one ounce serving of cashew nuts will also provide you with 157 calories, as well as a gram of fibre and roughly 9 grams of carbohydrates. The combination of these things is responsible for the energy boost you will experience.
Magnesium
Eating a one ounce serving of cashew nuts every day will supply your body with 83 milligrams of magnesium, which is roughly a quarter of your recommended daily intake. The presence of magnesium is essential in the body because it helps to strengthen your bones as well as regulate your blood pressure. Magnesium can also help to prevent blood clots forming in the body.
Phosphorous
When it comes to phosphorous, it is suggested that you should consume 700 milligrams every day. One ounce of cashew nuts contains 168 milligrams of phosphorous. This essential element will help to keep your teeth and bones healthy, as well as aiding the transfer of energy between cells.
Zinc
Zinc is another essential component when it comes to maintaining healthy bones, and cashew nuts are a rich source of zinc. It is important to consume an adequate amount of zinc for collagen synthesis in the body. This in turn is essential for the health of the connective tissue within your bones.
Cashew Nuts and Disease Prevention
Studies conducted on lab rats have shown that regular consumption of cashew nuts has the potential to help lower the risk of a person developing type 2 diabetes. This is because these nuts are useful for controlling blood sugar.
Furthermore, an active component in cashew nuts helps to stimulate the transport of glucose, which helps to reduce the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.
Mental Health Benefits
The benefits of cashew nuts do not stop at aiding your physical health. Because they contain the essential amino acid L-tryptophan, they are also beneficial for your mental health.
The brain needs L-tryptophan to produce serotonin, which affects your mood. If you do not have an ample amount of serotonin then you are at a higher risk of experiencing depression.
High Fat Content
Many people avoid eating cashew nuts, and nuts in general, because they believe that the high calorie and fat content will lead to an increased chance of obesity. However, the fats contained within cashew nuts are the heart healthy variety. When eaten in moderation there is nothing to fear from this type of fat.
Studies have shown that far from causing weight gain, regular moderate consumption is generally beneficial to health and could even aid weight loss. This is largely because this type of fat helps to satiate your hunger, making it less likely that you will overindulge in other foods that can quickly cause weight gain and harm your health in other ways.
Cooking with Cashews
If you don’t always want to snack on cashew nuts, then there are other ways to get them into your diet. You can add them to your baking, and also to many hot cooked meals.
Cashew nuts work particularly well in curry dishes, as well as in stir fries and mixed in with roasted vegetables or salads. When it comes to baking, you can grind these nuts up and add them to flour for certain recipes, or you can simply add them whole to give texture and flavour to cookies, cakes and other sweet treats!
A Cashew Nut Conclusion
Eating a one ounce portion of cashew nuts every day could soon add up to a range of noticeable health benefits. You can increase your efforts further by combining cashew nuts with a range of other nuts. This will help you to get an exciting selection of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body will thrive on.
If you are worried about the cost of doing so then it is a sensible idea to purchase your nuts in bulk and store them in a cool, dry place. You can then make up a mixture to keep in your kitchen and always have it to hand. This also makes it easy to make a snack pack to take with you when you will be away from your home during the day.
Remember, for optimum health, you should always only consume the raw, unsalted variety. when you are shopping for nuts on the go you will probably notice that it is much easier to find cooked, salted nuts. These nuts will generally be much higher in calories, as well as salt, sugar, and fat. Try to avoid buying these nuts when possible, but of course feel free to treat yourself every once in a while if you find that you really enjoy the taste of them!
References
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