Cashews are an important part of a nutritious meal. Cashew nut is highly nutritious that has a creamy and sweet flavor to it. It is excellent when used as a paste, as milk, as cream or just as is in any recipe. Cashews are full of high-density lipids or good cholesterol that are essential for the normal growth and functioning of the cells. It helps in boosting the brain and heart health boosting functions as well.
The bonus is that cashews are excellent in taste; therefore, consuming one or two a day is great for good health and nutrition. In fact, many doctors recommend including cashews in salads, gravies or in dressings because of their benefits for human health.
They are great for the bones, the heart, the brain and cell growth and regeneration. They can be eaten in a variety of ways as well. Discussed here are some of the best ways to consume cashews as a part of everyday diet in the right amounts.
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Why eat Cashews?
Many people assume cashews are not great for heart health and that it increases cholesterol, but this is only a myth. Cashews are, in fact, great for heart health as they have HDL in them – a form of good cholesterol that helps in the upkeep of the heart cells and the arteries and veins that go to and from the heart.
Good cholesterol is excellent for wear and tear functions throughout the body, especially in the heart and brain. They are also excellent for the cell growth and regeneration process and help prevent the cells from becoming cancerous. In short, consuming food with HDL, such as cashews, can aid in the prevention of cancer in humans.
Apart from this, cashews are great for bone health, skin, nail and hair health and for boosting energy in the body. It has a good amount of macro and micronutrients that are essential for the body daily such as iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, etc.
Many other nutrients, such as zinc, selenium, niacin, Vit B6, Riboflavin, etc., are also present in micro quantities. This is why consuming cashews as part of one’s daily diet can fulfill all the requirements of a complete nutritious meal.
5 Healthy Recipes that include Cashews
Below are some of the exciting ways to include cashews in your daily diet:
Salads
Sprinkle chopped cashews on top of salads with some olive oil, hummus or other creamy dressings for a great-tasting nutritious meal. Cashew paste is also amazing as a dressing on salads
Pasta
Soak a few cashews in hot water and grind them along with fresh cream and cheese. Use as dressing on any pasta that is sauteed in olive oil with garlic, onions and fresh herbs for a healthy pasta.
Gravies
Cashew paste is excellent for making creamy gravies such as Paneer Butter Masala, Kaju Matar, Shahi Paneer, etc.
Smoothie
Add a few pre-soaked cashews to smoothies along with banana, oats, blueberries or strawberries for a great tasting smoothie.
Desserts
Kaju Katli is one of the best desserts made from plenty of cashews soaked in water, ground to a paste and then heated along with sugar, ghee and cardamom powder. It is then cooled in a mold and cut into small pieces and garnished with chopped pistachios or saffron.
