Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Updated : November 20, 2014 11:52 AM IST
काजू- भारतीय गोड पदार्थांमध्ये काजुचा वापर हा सर्रास केला जातो. काजु पदार्थांची चव तर वाढवतोच मात्र त्याचबरोबर त्यातील आरोग्यदायी गुणधर्म कोलेस्ट्रॉल कमी करतात, ह्र्दयाचे आरोग्य सुधारतात, मधुमेह,रक्तदाब नियंत्रणात ठेवतात, कर्करोग दूर ठेवतात. तात्काळ उर्जा देणारे काजू दातांचे आरोग्यदेखील सुधारतात.
From deliciously sweet preparations like kaju katli to savory and gravy rich dishes, cashew nuts have been liberally in Indian cuisine to add taste and desired consistency to various recipes. Whether you eat them whole as an evening snack or you want them ground to garnish your food, cashew nuts never fail to stimulate your salivary gland, leaving your mouth watering. But apart from its distinctive flavour, the enormous health benefits cashew nuts offer is the reason why they are a characteristic ingredient used in the most popular dishes since a long time in India.
1. Lowers bad cholesterol: The fact that cashew is rich in fats may be the reason why people avoid eating too much of it, thinking it is bad for health. But nutritionist Neha Chandna emphasizes that cashews have good fats like omega fatty acids and other unsaturated fats like oleic acid which are good for health. They lower bad cholesterol (LDL) level.
2. Good for the heart: Unsaturated fats and omega fats not only reduce bad cholesterol but also lower triglycerides helping your heart to stay healthy. Our body needs nutrients from all food groups including fats; all you need to do is get it from good sources like kaju instead of unhealthy ones, she says. (Read: Take the natural route to heart health home remedies that work!)
3. Helps control hypertension: Cashew nuts naturally have negligible amount of sodium in them, unless you eat salted cashew. They contain a fair amount of potassium (185 mg in 28 gms) that contributes to regulate blood pressure. (Read:How to reduce salt intake)
4. Improves strength: Cashews are rich in protein. About 100 gm of cashews fulfill 36% of your daily recommended intake of protein. Protein being the building block of cells is crucial for overall growth and development. Cashew is especially a good snack option for vegetarians who struggle to meet their daily protein requirement. Cashew is also rich in minerals like magnesium which are required in trace quantities. Magnesium helps absorption of calcium by the body. It is good for the bones, muscles as well as the nerves. A handful of cashew nuts will give you about 80 mg of magnesium, accounting for 20% of your RDA.
5. May prevent and control diabetes: Overall nuts are found to have a glycemic index lowering ability. And a low-GI diet is not only linked to control diabetes but also to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, a study by Larson SC and colleagues found that increasing magnesium intake can reduce the risk of developing diabetes in people. Cashews being rich in magnesium further contribute to lower your diabetes risk.
6. May prevent tooth decay: Cashews contain anacardic acids that are found to effectively kill organisms that cause tooth decay and abscesses.
7. Reduced risk of cancer: Along with anacardic acids, cashews also offer antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E which prevent free radical oxidation that can cause cancer.
8. Important for body functions: Their high copper content plays an important role in enzyme activity, hormone production, brain function, etc. Copper is also needed for the production of red blood cells to prevent anemia.
9. May prevent gallstones: According to theNurses Health Study involving data obtained from 80,000 women, participants who consumed about 1 ounce (about 28 nuts) of cashew nuts in a week were found to have reduced risk of developing gallstones by 25%. So preventing gallbladder disease could be as simple as having less than a handful of cashew nuts every day
'There are no ill-effects of cashews but don't forget that they are rich in calories and so not too many should be eaten at a time. Eating between 5-10 pieces is enough for a day,' says Neha.
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