If Rise Bar was a food, we’d be a nut. Nuts are nutritional powerhouses--they’re rich in health fats, high-quality protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. Whether served as a stand-alone snack or incorporated into a meal, nuts rise to every occasion by virtue of their unique composition and offer the body a variety of beneficial health impacts.
One of our favorite nuts, the cashew, is not only the star of all our Plant-Based Protein Bars, but it’s also the third most-consumed tree nut in the country.
And it’s certainly no wonder why!
Cashews are loaded with nutrients and healthy, fatty acids that have been linked to reduced cardiovascular disease and a laundry list of other positive, health benefits.
Keep reading to discover what other benefits this awesome tree nut can offer your body.
Naturally Nutritious
Unlike a lot of other common foods, cashews are unique in their nutritional makeup.
Not only are they a great source of protein, but cashews also offer a wide variety of essential minerals and vitamins. Here’s a breakdown of the macronutrients cashews provide:
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Copper
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
From bolstering your immune system to healing wounds, the key vitamins and minerals found in cashews help your body perform crucial everyday functions. By consuming cashews regularly, you can ensure you’re getting the macronutrients you need to stay healthy.
Lower Bad Cholesterol
When it comes to naturally occurring fats, cashews have it got it going on. Cashews actually have both monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA).
These types of healthy fats are really helpful for overall heart health and can even prevent weight gain.
But, that’s not all these healthy fats are good for!
When consumed in appropriate amounts, they can potentially reduce low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol.
This “bad” type of cholesterol contributes to buildups in arteries and can raise your risk for heart related disease. Regularly consuming cashews can be an effective way to lower any “bad” cholesterol occurring in the body and protect your body against risks for heart disease.
Anti-Inflammatory
Because cashews have a good amount of naturally occurring healthy fats and relatively low amounts of unhealthy, saturated fats, they can have major anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
The polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in cashews can reduce inflammation by helping your body absorb fat soluble vitamins and produce fatty acids necessary for brain development and healthy blood flow.
Cashews are also rich in copper and Vitamin E, which can help eliminate free radicals from the body and reduce inflammation.
Body Boosting
Thanks to their naturally occurring magnesium, cashews can also aid healthy bone, muscle, tissue and organ development. Magnesium maintains your body’s blood pressure, immune system, and nerve function.
Cashews also contain phosphorus, another powerhouse mineral that is essential for overall health. Phosphorous can:
- Promote healthy bone and teeth development
- Aid in protein synthesis
- Help carbohydrates and fat absorption
- Maintain overall cellular health
Food for Thought
So, after looking at all of the benefits cashews can offer your body, you may be thinking: what can’t cashews do?! Try incorporating cashews regularly into your diet to gain the wonderful anticipated health benefits this tree nut offers.
All of our Vegan Protein Bars, like Chocolatey Coconut or Sunflower Cinnamon, are created from a base of cashews so you can snack, refuel or replenish easily and meet your health goals.
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Rise Bar provides people access to delicious protein snacks made simple, to fuel life’s adventures and rise above, one simple step at a time. Connect with us on social to join our community of High Risers!
Bibliography
https://medlineplus.gov/antioxidants.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28356271
