The shell of the cashew seed yields derivatives that can be used in many applications including lubricants, waterproofing, paints, and, starting in World War II, arms production. As well as the nut and fruit, the plant has several other uses. In 2019, four million tonnes of cashew nuts were produced globally, with Ivory Coast and India as the leading producers. Cashew allergies are triggered by the proteins found in tree nuts, and cooking often does not remove or change these proteins. Like the tree, the nut is often simply called a cashew. The cashew seed is commonly considered a snack nut ( cashew nut) eaten on its own, used in recipes, or processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter. The tree can grow as tall as 14 metres (46 feet), but the dwarf cultivars, growing up to 6 m (20 ft), prove more profitable, with earlier maturity and greater yields. Approximately half of these individuals tested positive for cashew nut allergy ( 24).Īlso, anaphylaxis from cashew nut allergy is more common than anaphylaxis from peanuts (74.1% to 30.5% of cases) ( 25).The cashew tree ( Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus Anacardium that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. In 2016, there were 6,937 diagnosed cases of tree nut anaphylaxis in the United States. Other true tree nuts such as almonds, acorns, and hazelnuts can also cause severe reactions in this way. However, this risk of allergic reactions is not unique to cashew nuts. Since the allergens present in cashews are so potent, these allergic reactions can even cause life-threatening anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) ( 22).ĭue to the strength of cashew nut allergens, only minimal amounts are necessary to cause adverse reactions ( 23). Unfortunately, in some rare cases, cashew nuts can cause severe allergic reactions. Similar to all nuts, cashews have some potential side effects that may be an issue for certain individuals. Key Point: According to studies, daily cashew nut intake may have a blood-pressure-lowering effect.

Diets high in oleic acid demonstrate improvements to markers of metabolic syndrome.A higher oleic acid intake appears to impact the lipid profile beneficially.Oleic acid may improve insulin sensitivity.On this note, a large amount of research suggests that oleic acid can have several beneficial health effects ( 3, 4, 5) More than half of this fat content (6.7 grams) comes from the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid ( 2). As shown in the nutrition values, they supply 12.4 grams of fat per serving. 1) Rich Source of Healthy FatsĬashew nuts are a good source of dietary fat. Health Benefits of Cashew NutsĬashew nuts and the nutrients they contain can offer various health benefits. They also offer a good range of essential minerals. Cashew Nuts: Nutrition Facts Per Oz (28-gram) Serving Calories/NutrientĪs shown in the nutrition profile, cashews are a little higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat than most nuts.

Raw cashew nutrition facts