Friday, April 04, 2008
Diet & Nutrition
Cashews High in Antioxidants
Are you like me? Faced with a can of mixed nuts, do you have an irresistible impulse to pick out all the cashews? I just love em. Cashews have a rich, mellow flavor and a crisp, yet tender, texture that simply cant be beat. And if theres a container of nothing but cashews in the house? Talk about an inducement to a snack attack.
Cashews are a native of the Americas, originating in Brazil, though they are now grown around the world, anywhere climate allows. Interestingly, cashew trees are grown not only for their nuts but for their fruit, known as the cashew apple, which can be used in jam or chutney. But Ive never seen cashew apples in local markets, not even the international groceries, so I havent had the opportunity to try them.
The shell that surrounds the cashew contains urushiol, the same toxin found in poison ivy. This is why you never see cashews sold in the shell, and, apparently the workers who shell the nuts are subject to nasty skin rashes.
The urushiol also means that cashews mustnt be eaten raw. The raw cashews sold in health food stores actually have been cooked without browning.
Cashews have a mixed nutritional profile. Theyre high in fat, which explains a calorie count of 163 calories per ounce. Theyre also higher in carbohydrates than some of the other nuts, with 9 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 8 grams. That makes them a food both calorie and carb counters need to eat in moderation a tough assignment.
That ounce of cashews will also give you 4 grams of protein. Theyre a terrific source of magnesium, with 21 percent of your daily requirement, and of zinc, with 11 percent. Youll get 9 percent of your iron and 5 percent of your potassium, too, along with 5 percent of your folacin, 4 percent of your thiamin and B-6, 3 percent of your riboflavin and 2 percent of your niacin.
Less well known as a nutrient is copper, needed for your body to properly use iron to make red blood cells. Cashews are a standout here, as well, with 20 percent of the suggested daily intake.
Like all nuts, cashews are a wonderful source of healthy fats, and theyre also high in antioxidants. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that four servings of nuts per week reduced coronary-disease risk by 37 percent, and additional servings reduced risk still further.
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Cook Well, Eat Well is a United Feature Syndicate column by Dana Carpender appearing Sundays.
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