Unsalted Cashews
Unsalted cashews have a really unique nutty and buttery flavor with a supple brittle texture. Unsalted cashews that haven’t been dry roasted have significantly less calories compared to salted cashews, though cashews have fat content that’s significantly lower than other nuts such as peanuts and almonds. Most of the fat content in unsalted cashews comes in an unsaturated fatty acids form that is truly beneficial for your heart’s health.
Also, unsalted cashews don’t contain cholesterol and low in sugar as well as sodium. One raw cashew nut contains approximately 8 calories. Though one cup of cashews has a fat content of 47.77 grams, approximately 25.9 grams of it is monounsaturated fat which can lower bad cholesterol or LDL and raise good cholesterol or HDL.
Health Benefits
Unsalted cashews are a good source of fiber and protein. They are rich in foliate, B vitamins and potassium. They also have valuable amounts of phosphorous, magnesium, copper and selenium.
Salted cashew nuts have additional sodium content that can contribute to high blood pressure. Thus, purchasing unsalted cashews is much more preferable. Not convinced yet? Here are more of the health benefits of unsalted cashews:
- Unsalted cashews are excellent body builders.
- Unsalted cashews contain no cholesterol.
- Unsalted cashews can help in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
- Unsalted cashews are considered an energizing snack.
- Unsalted cashews are abundant in antioxidants that can help in eliminating free radicals which may cause a few types of cancer.
- Unsalted cashews are a good magnesium source. Magnesium works together with calcium to maintain healthy bones and muscles in your body. In addition, this helps in promoting regular sleep patterns particularly for menopausal women.
- Unsalted cashews contain a high energy density as well as increased amount of dietary fiber. Both have beneficial effect when it comes to managing weight, but only if they are eaten moderately.
- Unsalted cashews have increased copper content which is indeed important in producing energy, more elasticity in joints, bones and blood vessels.
- Unsalted cashews consumption can help the body in utilizing iron, eliminating free radicals, developing bone and connective tissue, and producing the skin as well as hair pigment melanin.
Frequent consumption of unsalted cashews may also decrease the risk of acquiring Type 2 Diabetes, which is the most common form of diabetes in the US at present.
Storing Unsalted Cashews
At room temperature, unsalted cashews can spoil faster and needs to be refrigerated. If kept in an airtight container inside a refrigerator, they will last for 6 months or if frozen, even up to 1 year.
If you store unsalted cashews for a long time, they tend to go stale. Thus, ideally, unsalted cashews must be stored in a sealed container and must be consumed after as a short time.
Indeed, unsalted cashews which are a well-known treat found on groceries and health food stores across the globe, is heaving with nutritional content. With all these, no wonder unsalted cashews are used in healthy diets and holistic health solutions.