Cashew Nut

CASHEW:

Common Names - Cashew Nut , Cajueiro, jambu

Botanical Name - Anacardium occidentale

Family - Anacardiaceae

Parts Used - bark, stems, nuts, and resin

Hindi name = Kaju

Telugu Name = Jeedipappu

Kannada name = Godambi / Geru Beeja

Malayalam Name = Andiparippu / Kashuvandiparippu / Parangi Andi

Tamil Name = Mundhiri Paruppu / Andiparippu

Bengali Name = Hijli Badam

Cashew nut measures about an inch in length, 1/2 inches in diameter, and kidney or bean shape, with smooth curvy pointed tip. Each nut splits into two equal halves as in legumes. Cashews featurec ream white color with the firm yet delicate texture and smooth surface.

The cashew tree's leaves and bark as well as the popular cashew apple possess herbal health benefits that include killing bacteria and germs, stoping diarrhea, drying secretions, increasing the libido, and reducing fever, blood sugar, blood pressure and body temparature.

It packed 5 gramms of protein per ounce and high levels of the essentialsminerals, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and maganese, which are utilized in holistic health solutions and healthy diets.

1. Prevents Cancer

Proanthocyanidins are a class of flavonols which fight against tumor cells by stopping them to divide further. These proanthocyanidins and high copper content in cashew nuts help fight against cancerous cells and keeps you away from colon cancer. This is one of the major cashew nut benefits

2. Healthy Heart

Cashews contain low fat content when compared to other nuts and that too in the oleic acid form which is very healthy for heart. They are cholesterol free and the antioxidants present keeps you away from heart diseases.

3. Lowers High Blood Pressure

Cashew nuts lower your blood pressure with the help of magnesium present in them.

4. Helps Hair

Copper is the mineral which helps your hair get that color. So if you take cashews which are full of copper content, you can get that black hair that you always wished for yours

5. Healthy Bones

Like calcium, magnesium is also important for bone health which is the main content in cashew nuts.

6. Healthy Nerves

Magnesium is stored on the bones surface which prevents calcium from entering the nerve cells and thus keeps the blood vessels and muscles relaxed. Insufficient amount of magnesium can lead calcium to enter the blood vessels leading them to contract. It also leads to high blood pressure, migraine headache etc.

7. Prevents Gallstones

Daily intake of cashewnut can reduce the risk of developing gallstones (6) up to 25%.

8. Helps in Weight Loss

Even though cashew nuts are considered as fats, it contains good cholesterol (7). So contrary to popular belief, those who eat cashews at least twice a week gain less weight when compared to those who eat less.

9. Anti-oxidants

Selenium, copper, magnesium etc. act as co-factors for many enzymes.

10. Helps Digestion

Cashew nuts help in growth and development, nucleic acid synthesis and digestion

11. High on Vitamins

Cashew nuts are rich in vitamins like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, niacin etc. These vitamins keep you safe from sideroblastic anemia, pellagra, etc.

12. Healthy Gums and Teeth

As mentioned before, the magnesium content present in cashew nuts is very good for bones. So it gives healthy teeth as well as strong gums to hold them.

13. Pleasant sleep

After menopause, these cashew nuts can give you relaxed and pleasant sleep during nights.

14. Free Radicals

Cashew nuts help our body to utilize iron properly and eliminate free radicals (11) which cause health problems.

15. Macular Degeneration

Cashew nuts have the ability to filter Sunsdegeneration
 protect us from macular degeneration.

Pharmacognosy text book