For the first time, a team of researchers has analyzed the nutritional composition of raw cashew nuts from the largest growing regions around the world, providing a much better approximation of the nut's real nutrient content.

In a release, the International Nut & Dried Fruit Council (INC) highlighted the study from a group of researchers from the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) and Rovira i Virgili University in Spain.

The study looked at the composition or raw cashew kernels from India, Ivory Coast, Vietnam, Brazil, Mozambique, and Kenya, with support from the INC and the Global Cashew Council.

"Researchers concluded that cashews are a good source of nutrients as they are rich in healthy unsaturated fats, high in dietary fiber and have an excellent profile of plant-based proteins," the INC said.

"They also contain a wide variety of important micro - and macronutrients including vitamins and amino acids. No significant differences were found among samples from different origins."

The INC also highlighted how while cashews are relatively high in fat, 80% of it is unsaturated.

"It is important to look at not only the amount of fat, but also the type. Saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"On the contrary, unsaturated fats, such as mono- and polyunsaturated fat, can actually decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) levels."

Photo: Femto, via Wikimedia Commons

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