CASHEW: A GREAT ALLY!
Where is she from ?
Cashew is a nut from a tree called Anacardiumouest that originally comes from Brazil but can now be found in other parts of the world, including India, a country that became the first producer of this product . The one we use in our recipes comes from Vietnam!
This seed or nut comes from the fruit of the cashew tree and has a color varying from bottle green to grayish. The shape of this nut can resemble a kidney or a heart.
After being harvested, this fruit undergoes different stages of processing: cooking, drying, cutting, shelling, peeling, grading and packaging.
What are its strengths?
Its richness in unsaturated fatty acids
Cashew nuts are part of the oilseed foods category, meaning they are made up of a lot of lipids. And what’s interesting is that these are good lipids!
In fact, of the 50% of lipids they contain, 16% are unsaturated fatty acids which should be favored.
These fatty acids are involved in the structure of cell membranes which, coupled with antioxidants, helps slow down cell aging.
Also, they play a preventive role during pregnancy and with regard to cardiovascular problems.
A good protein intake
Cashew contains 18.2% protein which makes it a very interesting food. And on top of that, these proteins are said to be of good quality (to find out more on this subject, go to one of our blogs which talks about it) .
In fact, their quality score varies between 95 and 103% depending on the studies, which implies that they are to be preferred!
Proteins are essential elements for the construction of our body and the functioning of our metabolism, so we must have a sufficient daily intake both in terms of quantity and quality!
Its vitamins and minerals
Cashew has many surprises in store for you!
In addition to these fatty acids and proteins, it is full of micronutrients, including calcium which is used to regulate tension, for muscle contraction and for bone structure.
It contains vitamins, vitamin K and vitamin B9. Vitamin K plays a role in calcium fixation but also in blood clotting. Vitamin B9 is very useful during pregnancy to limit the risk of malformations.
Its good sweet taste
And to round it all off, this nut has a fairly mild taste, due to its sweetness. This makes it a more accessible nut than some which have a stronger taste.
