Many of us avoid eating nuts due to their high fat content and for fear of weight gain. But did you know that the type of fat in nuts and seeds can naturally lower your cholesterol and help with weight loss.
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1), demonstrated that consuming cashews can aid in lowering your cholesterol. Cashews are the most popular among the nut bunch, and in fact are the third most-consumed tree nut in the United States. In other countries, Cashews are seemed as a delicacy. So what makes these nuts so heart healthy?
♥ Cashews are loaded with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats; the healthy fats that are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease.
♥ Cashews are high in copper, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese; all the minerals that the majority of us are deficient on.
♥ Cashews are low glycemic; low glycemic foods aid in keeping our blood sugar levels on even keel.
♥ A handful of cashews contains 5g of protein. The right type of protein is shown to aid in weight loss and heart health.
♥ Cashews are high in antioxidants to help combat oxidative stress (2).
Below are some tips on ways to enjoy eating cashews
- Chop up a handful of organic cashews and add them to your salad.
- Make your own cashew butter by processing 2 cups of cashews in a food processor. To make the cashew butter creamier, add a bit of organic raw coconut oil.
- Add cashews to your smoothie.
- Include cashews with your sautéed vegetables
- Make your own protein balls with cashews.
Need help on adding more healthy fats to your diet, send us a note at info@purplegreens.life.
References
Mah E; Schulz JA; Kaden VN; Lawless AL; Rotor J; Mantilla LB; Liska DJ. (2017). Cashew consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol: a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial
Chandrasekara, Neel; Shahidi, Fereidoon. (2011). Antioxidative potential of cashew phenolics in food and biological model systems as affected by roasting. Food Chemistry, 129(4):1388-1396