Roasted Masala & Salted Cashew (D' Nature, Delhi)

The delicately flavored cashew nut is a favorite between meal snack that can be readily found in your local market year round. It also makes wonderful nut butter and a special addition to salads and stir-fry dishes.

Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal areas of northeastern Brazil. While cashew apples are not appreciated in the United States, they are regarded as delicacies in Brazil and the Caribbean. Cashews are always sold shelled because the interior of the shells contains a caustic resin, known as cashew balm, which must be carefully removed before the nuts are fit for consumption. This caustic resin is actually used in industry to make varnishes and insecticides.

Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts

Good body builder

Cashew has no cholesterol.

Cashew helps maintain healthy gums and teeth.

Cashew is an energizing food.

Cashew contains healthy monounsaturated fat that promotes good cardiovascular health, because monounsaturated fats reduce high triglyceride levels which are associated with increased risk for heart disease.

Cashew is rich in antioxidants that help in the elimination of free radicals that may cause some cancer

Magnesium works with calcium to support healthy muscles and bones in the body. It also helps promote normal sleep patterns in menopausal women.

Cashew nuts have a high energy density and high amount of dietary fiber, both have been attributed to a beneficial effect on weight management, but only when eaten in moderation

Cashew's has high copper content is vital in energy production, greater flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints.

Cashew nut consumption helps the body utilize iron, eliminate free radicals, develop bone and connective tissue, and produce the skin and hair pigment melanin."

"Roasted cashews can be a convenient and delicious snack, either on their own or in a snack mix, such as with peanuts, dried fruit or other nuts. They can be healthy when you eat them in moderation as part of a balanced diet, and they have similar nutrition information whether you get them dry roasted or oil roasted. Talk to a nutritionist about including roasted cashews in your own meal plan.

Heart Health

Roasted cashews are healthy when eaten in moderation because they are cholesterol-free, and they can lower your cholesterol levels because of their dietary fiber and phytosterols, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Each ounce of cashews provides 13 g total fats, including about 10 g unsaturated fats, which can lower your cholesterol levels when you eat them instead of saturated fats. Roasted cashews are also heart-healthy because of their potassium, which supports a healthy blood pressure.

Alternative Protein

Roasted cashews provide 4 g protein per ounce, and they are an alternative source of protein to fatty meats, which are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Including plant-based proteins in your diet may reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. To help you meet your protein recommendations, a regular 2,000-calorie diet should include 4 oz. per week of plant-based proteins, such as nuts, seeds or soy products, and a strict vegetarian, or vegan, diet should include 15 oz. per week of nuts or seeds, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Weight Control

Obesity increases your risk for chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and roasted cashews can be healthy if you use them as part of a diet to control your weight. Individuals who eat nuts or peanuts regularly tend to have lower body weights, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, and cashews can be good choices because they are lower in calories than some other nuts. Each ounce of dry roasted cashews provides 163 calories, while macadamias have 204 calories per oz. Be sure to compensate for the extra calories from cashews by reducing other foods in your regular diet.