2008 Woodie Awards
Go nuts to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer risk
Issue date: 10/16/08
I love nuts. Cashews are the best (especially the honey-roasted variety), and then come peanut M&Ms and then almonds. Of course, I clearly don't love the nuts alone - I like them processed and salted and coated and calorie-infested, but I justify this by saying that regardless of what you add to the nut, you haven't subtracted from its nutritional value, you've just added a bit to the cavity crusters.
Cashews, with or without the caloric coating, are stuffed with goodness. The cashew nut is actually the seed of the cashew tree attached to the bottom of the cashew apple. The nuts have vitamin B, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron - tons of goodies.
Contrary to popular belief, cashews are actually low in fat. They only have about 13.5 grams of fat per ounce. They are cholesterol-free, and nearly 75 percent of the fat is unsaturated (the kind that's good for your heart).
Cashews are a great source of magnesium and copper, so munch away. One ounce of cashews contains around 80 mg of magnesium and 0.6 mg of copper. Magnesium is very important for the body's nerves, muscles and bones (pretty much everything that keeps you functioning), and copper is essential for the development of healthy connective tissue.
Magnesium blocks calcium channels in nerves, keeping them less active so the muscles and blood vessels they enervate are more relaxed too. Magnesium prevents muscle tension, spasms and helps reduce blood pressure.
While the percent mass of copper in cashews is comparatively small, the recommended daily intake of copper is only 2 mg, so cashews are actually very high in copper. Copper is a fundamental component of many enzymes in the body. It is a main component of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Insufficient copper intake can cause ruptured vessels, bone brittleness and joint problems like arthritis.
So, cashews seem to be a tasty way to prevent a ton of nasty things from happening. A healthy amount of cashews a day is a quarter-cup, about one serving. But because they are still relatively high in fat and calories (especially when roasted and salted) cashews are healthiest when eaten in moderation. If you are looking to gain weight, more than one serving of cashews a day could promote healthy weight gain.
Cashews, with or without the caloric coating, are stuffed with goodness. The cashew nut is actually the seed of the cashew tree attached to the bottom of the cashew apple. The nuts have vitamin B, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron - tons of goodies.
Contrary to popular belief, cashews are actually low in fat. They only have about 13.5 grams of fat per ounce. They are cholesterol-free, and nearly 75 percent of the fat is unsaturated (the kind that's good for your heart).
Cashews are a great source of magnesium and copper, so munch away. One ounce of cashews contains around 80 mg of magnesium and 0.6 mg of copper. Magnesium is very important for the body's nerves, muscles and bones (pretty much everything that keeps you functioning), and copper is essential for the development of healthy connective tissue.
Magnesium blocks calcium channels in nerves, keeping them less active so the muscles and blood vessels they enervate are more relaxed too. Magnesium prevents muscle tension, spasms and helps reduce blood pressure.
While the percent mass of copper in cashews is comparatively small, the recommended daily intake of copper is only 2 mg, so cashews are actually very high in copper. Copper is a fundamental component of many enzymes in the body. It is a main component of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Insufficient copper intake can cause ruptured vessels, bone brittleness and joint problems like arthritis.
So, cashews seem to be a tasty way to prevent a ton of nasty things from happening. A healthy amount of cashews a day is a quarter-cup, about one serving. But because they are still relatively high in fat and calories (especially when roasted and salted) cashews are healthiest when eaten in moderation. If you are looking to gain weight, more than one serving of cashews a day could promote healthy weight gain.
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Mike Files
posted 12/02/08 @ 6:13 PM EST
I think you are one to something! I have taken blood pressure medicine for about 30 years(I am 57) and have used about every type of medicine there is but it still would hover at 140/90. (Continued…)
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