How we rate
“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.
Cashews
Cashews slightly lower blood pressure, but two meta-analyses find no effect on cholesterol, and a third none on weight or blood glucose.
Benefits
- Slightly lower systolic blood pressure: −3.39 mm Hg on average compared to control groups, according to a meta-analysis of randomized trials on 392 participants.
- In 300 type 2 diabetic adults in India, 30 g per day for 12 weeks lowered systolic blood pressure by 4.9 mm Hg (versus 1.7 without nuts) and raised HDL by 1.7 mg/dL (versus 0.1), without weight gain or effect on blood glucose.
- Instead of crisps, 28 to 64 g of cashews per day for 28 days lowered total cholesterol and LDL in 51 adults with high LDL.
- In 50 type 2 diabetics, cashews making up 10% of calories for eight weeks lowered insulin and the LDL/HDL ratio compared to the control group.
- In a diet at −500 kcal per day, 30 g per day for 8 weeks additionally lowered liver enzymes (ALT −6.0 U/L) and apolipoprotein B (−6.6 mg/dL); the fat lost was the same as with the nut-free diet.
- Provide fewer calories than announced: 137 kcal on average for a 28 g portion, 16% less than the calculated value on the labels, measured in 18 healthy adults.
Precautions
Allergy: in children, the cashew causes severe reactions more often than the peanut; out of 141 compared children, the risk of a severe reaction was 25.1 times higher (odds ratio). In 213 children allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, anaphylaxis was more frequent with the cashew than with the peanut: 74.1% against 30.5%. A tiny amount is enough: out of 137 children who reacted to the food challenge test, 46% had symptoms from 1 mg of cashew protein, and 36% had an anaphylactic reaction. In adults with metabolic syndrome, fasting blood glucose increased with a diet rich in cashews for 8 weeks, compared to the control diet. Limitations: cholesterol: two meta-analyses find no effect on total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, or triglycerides. At 42 g per day for 4 weeks, at stable weight, no effect on cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, or coagulation. Weight and blood glucose: the meta-analysis of six trials (521 participants) finds no effect on weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, or insulin. In adults with metabolic syndrome, 8 weeks of a diet rich in cashews improved neither cholesterol, nor blood pressure, nor blood antioxidant defenses. A shake with 30 g of cashews and 15 g of Brazil nuts was no more satiating than a shake of the same composition without nuts.
Recommended dosage
30 g per day in the largest trials; 42 g or 28 to 64 g per day in others.
How to take it
- For whom: trials involve adults with high cholesterol, type 2 diabetics, overweight people, or those with metabolic syndrome; very few on healthy adults.
- Dose: 30 g per day is the most tested dose; in controlled trials, nuts replaced other foods so as not to add calories.
- Duration: from 4 to 12 weeks depending on the trials.
- Calories: count around 137 kcal for 28 g, slightly less than what the label indicates.
- To lose weight: they do nothing. Neither weight, nor BMI, nor waist circumference move according to the meta-analysis of six trials, and added to a diet, they do not make you lose more fat.
Did you know?
A 28 g portion of cashews provides an average of only 137 kcal, 16% less than the calculated label value, because part of its fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is not absorbed.
What the studies say
This meta-analysis and systematic review of six randomized clinical trials, involving 521 participants, evaluated the effects of cashew nut consumption on body composition and glycemic indices. The combined results showed no significant effect of cashew nut consumption on weight, BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, insulin, or HOMA-IR (insulin resistance). The study concludes that the inclusion of cashew nuts in the diet has no significant effect on body composition or the modification of glycemic indices.
Jamshidi S, Moradi Y, Nameni G, Mohsenpour MA, Vafa M. — Diabetes & metabolic syndrome (2021) — View the source study
Pairs well with
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more