Who knew the bone-loving qualities of cashews?<\/p>\n
From Dr. Mercola:<\/p>\n
\"Cashews are the number one crop in the world (after almonds), cultivated in more than 30 countries. They require a hot, humid climate to proliferate, which is why India, Brazil, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Nigeria are the largest raw cashew producers.<\/p>\n
Cashew plants don't begin to bear nuts for three to five years, and then another eight to 10 weeks is needed to develop them to full maturity. The nuts themselves are hidden, however, inside an outer coating, sometimes called cashew apples - a false fruit, if you will - used for such things as brake linings, varnish, and insecticides. In light of that, it's important to remove this outer layer carefully, because it's toxic.<\/p>\n
Health Benefits of Cashews:<\/p>\n
A great mineral source, cashews contain:<\/p>\n
31% of the daily recommended value for copper
\n23% for manganese
\n20% for magnesium
\n17% for phosphorus,
\n12% of the daily recommended value for vitamin K.<\/p>\n
Studies show that magnesium helps diminish the frequency of migraines, improve cognitive ability, and also lowers blood pressure, which can prevent heart attacks. Copper contains antioxidants that render free radicals harmless. This protects against heart disease and cancer. Enzyme components like tyrosinase convert to the pigment melanin, which provides not just our skin and hair color, but protects our skin from UV damage. Magnesium works with copper to provide bone strength, and with melanin and elastin to provide joint flexibility, giving the nerves just the right tension.<\/p>\n
Another ingredient in cashews is proanthocyanidins, which contain flavanols that inhibit the ability of cancer cells to divide and multiply, reducing incidences of colon cancer.<\/p>\n
All but a small amount of the fat in cashews is the good kind - oleic acid - found also in olive oil, which is the reason both are so good for you.<\/p>\n
It's the high- or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol conversation that explains what \"good fat = HDL; bad fat = LDL\" actually means. It's just another way of saying it makes a difference what fats you eat. That's because HDL cholesterol travels through your body, picking up bad bits of LDL cholesterol along the way, leaving it off at the liver, which breaks it down and gets rid of it.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, when you eat foods containing LDL fats (like lard, for example), the liver distributes it throughout your body, often attaching to the cells, which become clogged with plaque.\"<\/p>\n
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