Cashew nuts or kaju are kidney shaped nuts, famous as nature’s vitamin pill, having amazing and wonderful nutritional health benefits.
It is generally used dry fruit in the Indian cuisine such as variety of dessert preparations to add nutrition and taste. Solid, soft, sweet and delicious cashew nuts are packed with energy, protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins including other healthy materials required for body building.
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It belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and Anacardium genus, found in the tropical regions of the earth. It was spread by the Portuguese travelers all across the world from the Brazil’s Amazon rain forest. Now, it is commercially cultivated in various countries like Brazil, India, Vietnam, African countries and etc.
It grows on the tree adhering at the base to the accessory fruit called cashew apples of bell shape. It has doubled shell of allergenic phenolic resin (anacardic acid) and potent skin irritant allergenic oil urushiol (phenolic urushiol resin) having irritant toxin (used to make varnishes and insecticides). Later the outer skin gets destroyed and edible cashew nuts are extracted.
Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts or Kaju
Cashew nuts or kaju are full of amazing health benefits if taken within limit on daily basis. Health conscious people must try it by adding it to their daily diet plan to have its wonderful nutritious health benefits.
It is beneficial for all the age groups people of both genders. It has essential amino acids, proteins and unsaturated fats which nourishes the unique body systems very well. It has all the nutritious elements (anti-oxidants, vitamins, proteins, electrolytes, minerals and etc) required for better body growth and development specially for growing age children. Enjoy reading some of the health benefits of cashew nuts which are mentioned below:
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Cancer Prevention
Fights with Tumor
It has a most important substance called Proanthocyanidin (flavonols) which has ability to fight against tumor cells by stopping their growth and division.
Prevents from Cancer
Proanthocyanidins are compound having high copper content which helps in fighting with the cancerous cells. It prevents from the various cancers like cancer of colon, prostate and etc.
Rich Source of Antioxidants
It reduces the occurrence of cancer to a great level as it has antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E which obstructs the free radical oxidation in the body and boosts the immunity.
Fights with Infection
It has high level of other mineral called zinc which helps to fight from various infections.
Suppress Tumor Cells Growth
Vitamin K found in it has ability to suppress the tumor cells growth. It also helps in the prevention of cirrhosis and liver cancer as well as best treatment of the cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Heart
Keeps Heart Healthy
It contains low fat content and no cholesterol which helps the heart to function well. It also has powerful antioxidants which keeps the heart away from various heart diseases.
Keeps Blood Pressure under Control
Its magnesium content helps to maintain the blood pressure and lowers down the high blood pressure. Its tendency of lowering the blood pressure helps in preventing the heart attacks.
It has lower level of sodium and higher level of potassium which keeps the blood pressure under control.
Balances Cholesterol Level
Kaju has heart friendly monounsaturated essential fatty acids called oleic acid and palmitoleic acid which reduces the bad cholesterol level as well as increases the good cholesterol and triglycerides level in the body which makes the heart healthy, thus prevents from coronary artery disease and strokes by maintaining the blood lipid profile balanced.
Maintains Healthy Blood Flow in Arteries
Cashew nuts prevent from the atherosclerosis and reduces the plague formation in the arteries.
Prevents from Cardiac Arrhythmia
It is also the good source of the omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids which acts as powerful antioxidants and prevents the blood vessels from free radicals and cardiac arrhythmia.
Reduces Risk of Heart Diseases
The essential fatty acid like oleic acid inhibits the cholesterol transport to the bloodstream thus reduces low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and elevates high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration in the blood and lowers the risks of heart diseases.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Hair
Improves Hair Growth
It has an important mineral called Copper which helps hair to maintain their brightness, strong and black color.
Provides Natural Color to Hair
Copper found in it acts as an essential component for many enzymes. Tyrosinase is a enzyme having copper helps in converting tyrosine to the melanin (a pigment providing color to the hair and skin).
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Bones
Provides Required Nutrients for Bone Growth
It has lots of minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and etc required for the healthy growth and development of the bones among kids, women and men.
Enhances Calcium Absorption
Good magnesium level in the body also enhances the calcium absorption level by the bones.
Improves Bone Density
Its high level proteins and good magnesium and calcium level helps in making the strong bone structure.
Maintains Bone Flexibility
High copper level helps in maintaining the flexibility of the bones and joints. It enhances the functioning of an enzyme which combines the collagen and elastin, thus provides flexibility to the bones and joints.
Prevents from Bone Deformity
Vitamin K found in Cashew nut helps in maintaining the healthy bones by calcifying the bones, thus prevents from osteoporosis and skeletal deformation.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Nerves
Makes Nervous System Healthy
It’s one of the minerals called Magnesium play a very important role in maintaining the healthy nerves.
Relaxes Blood Vessels, Nerves and Muscles
Magnesium gets stored on the bones surfaces and prevents calcium to enter the nerve cells, thus enhances the relaxation of the blood vessels, nerves and muscles. Low or insufficient magnesium level in the body let the calcium passes into the blood vessels and made them contract which leads to the high blood pressure, migraine, headache and lots of problems.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts in Weight Loss
Contains Healthy Protein and no Cholesterol
Even after being loaded with the fats and proteins, it is considered that cashew nut helps in managing the weight as it contains no cholesterol, good fat and healthy protein. So, the weight conscious people can start eating cashews, at least for two days a week to be prevented from extra weight gain.
Contains Dietary Fibers
Kaju has high energy density and high level of the dietary fibers, both of which aids to the weight management when eaten in limit.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Gums and Teeth
Improves Health of Teeth and Gums
Its magnesium content helps a lot in maintaining the healthy and strong gums and teeth if taken on regular basis.
Prevents Tooth Decay
It prevents from the tooth decay and abscessed teeth.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Brain
Promotes Healthy Brain Functioning
Its high level of copper content involves in very important body functions like enzyme activation, hormone production and maintenance of brain functions.
Improves Brain Power
It enhances the brain power as it boosts the immunity system, prevents from infections and enhances blood supply to the brain by increasing the production of more red blood cells.
Improves Oxygenated Blood Flow to Brain
It enhances the oxygen supply to the brain and enhances the memory power.
Enhances Brain Cells Production
It has polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats which enhance the production of brain cells.
Maintains Healthy Nerve Impulses Conduction
Magnesium conducts nerve impulses to the brain from muscles thus prevents from painful cramps, muscle spasm and lesions.
Prevents from Mental Disorders
Copper found in Cashew nut involves in production and secretion of both melanin and dopamine which prevents from depression, severe sun burn, chronic fatigue syndromes, neurological disorders and etc.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Skin
Prevents from Dermatitis
One of the B group vitamins found in it called Niacin prevents from the skin disease known as pellagra or dermatitis.
Improves Utilization of Iron
As it enhances the utilization of the iron in the body, elimination of free radicals, maintenance of connective tissue, production of skin and hair pigment called melanin, it makes the skin healthy and wrinkles free.
Rejuvenates Skin
Its copper content keeps the skin rejuvenate, glowing and healthy by fighting with the free radicals and removing pigments.
Prevents from Skin Cancer
It prevents from the basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts for Eyes
Prevents from Old Age Eye Disorders
It has a pigment flavonoid antioxidant called zea-xanthin which gets absorbed to the eyes (retinal macula lutea) and protects from the UV rays, thus prevents from the age-related macular degeneration during old age.
Benefits of Cashew Nuts in Diabetes
Restricts Glucose Absorption
It helps in combating with the diabetes as the extract of cashew seeds restricts the glucose absorption in the body.
Protects from Diabetic Complications
Cashew nuts have monounsaturated fats which reduces the triglyceride levels among diabetics thus protect from further complications.
Reduces Risk of Type-2 Diabetes
It lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes among people.
very helpful.