How Beneficial and Delicious Can Cashew Nut Oil Be?

The amazing tastebud pleasure derived from cashew does not end with eating the fruit and munching on the roasted nuts from the seed. The oil extracted from the nuts is not only a fantastic cooking oil but is also delicious and supplies the body with a host of health benefits. It is packed with numerous vitamins and minerals that can boost several aspects of your health.

Asides from being a great oil for cooking, it also serves as amazing skin oil, both for massage and skin treatment. This drives it as one of the most sought-after oils in most cosmetic industries. In addition, it is a natural and rich hair food.

Cashew nut oil is not a very popular oil compared to its sister oils—coconut, palm kernel, and olive oils. It was common only among the people of Northern Brazil who used it and still use it today for therapeutic and medicinal purposes.

Today, it is no longer used by only people from that region, other people from other continents have discovered its benefits to their hair, and they have started including it in their diets, skin, and hair regimen for a healthier body.

As much as this wonder fruit contains a healthy oil, it also produces another oil that can be toxic for human consumption. This toxic oil is derived from the shell of the seed. While processing the seeds to get out the nuts and the nut oil, workers wear protective clothing on their hands and bodies to ensure that the oil from the seed shell does not touch their skins.

When the oil gets in touch with the skin, it can damage the skin. Thus, caution must be taken when taking out the nuts from the seed shell. Also, to get rid of this toxicity, the seeds are roasted and broken to get out the nuts. It is these nuts that we have business with. Apart from being a health nut to snack on, it is also a potential oil carrier. When the seeds are further processed or pressed, their amazing oil is produced.

Its benefits to the health and the delicious flavor it adds to foods are the major reasons why people do not hesitate to have it in their homes. It is known to help in the formation of red blood cells, speed up the healing of wounds and clearing of scars, help in the treatment or management of severe health conditions like gallstones, diabetes, and anemia. It boosts immunity and nourishes the skin.

All of these health blessings are a result of their antioxidants and vitamins contents. According to research, it is one of the richest oils, and this makes it one of the best and healthiest oils for cooking. It supplies the body with energy and keeps the skin and hair healthy and glowing.

Being an oil, people have asked questions about whether it can increase the amounts of cholesterol in the body. Well, as much as everyone is trying to avoid cholesterol in order to protect their heart health, not all cholesterols are bad. However, cashew nut oil is known to only supply healthy and good cholesterol to the body. This makes it a great oil choice when protecting your heart health. The same goes for its sister cooking oils like vegetable oil, olive oil, and canola oil.

Nutritional Profile of Cashew Nut Oil

The health benefits that cashew nut oil supplies the body with are courtesy of the nutrients it is packed with. Cashew nut oil has a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can keep you healthy and strong. The following are the nutritional contents of cashew nut oil;

• Sodium
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B(s)
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K
• Zinc
• Copper
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Photochemical
• Protein
• Fatty acids
• Antioxidants
• Anti-inflammatory properties

Health Benefits of Cashew Oil

The following are health benefits of cashew oil;

Prevents Cancer

One of the most active properties of cashew nut oil is proanthocyanidins. This compound helps prevent cancer cells from growing, dividing, and spreading. In other words, it inhibits the growth of cancer cells and prevents them from spreading. Numerous researches have shown that cashew nut oil is effective in the prevention of cancers like colon cancer. Another compound cashew nut oil is rich with is copper, which is a great antioxidant that helps in the eradication of free radicals that cause the death of cells and the growth of dangerous cancer cells. These properties act as antioxidants in the protection of the heart and other organs of the body against cancer and other chronic health conditions.

Maintains Proper Immune Function

The immune system is the body’s natural defense against diseases and infections. When this defense wall is weak, all sorts of infections begin to gain easy access into the body. However, cashew nut has been discovered to contain minerals like magnesium that are effective at boosting immune function.

Many other health benefits associated with magnesium include blood sugar regulation in the body, blood pressure regulation, and protection of tissues, bones, and muscles in the body. Magnesium deficiency can cause the immune system to break down, and this might lead to poor metabolic function.

Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response mechanic to stress and illnesses. When you experience Inflammation flare-ups, it is best to try out cashew nut oil. Inflammation is characterized by severe pain, especially during chronic diseases like cancer and arthritis and mild conditions like eczema. Cashew nut oil can help improve inflammation and reduce the pain associated with it.

Anti-aging Remedy

Cashew nut oil is packed with properties that promote cell growth in the body. When cashew nut oil is applied to the skin, it helps in the rejuvenation of the skin. One of the obvious characteristics of skins treated to cashew oil is succulence and a higher degree of elasticity. These benefits are more are attached to cashew nut oil skin treatment.

In addition, eating cashew nuts daily can help eliminate free radicals that might cause cell damage. It protects the cells from dying and strengthens them to perform their functions well. Asides from applying the oil to your skin to rejuvenate the skin cells that automatically make you look younger, eating it can also help in the protection and maintenance of cells within the body.

Protects the Heart Health

The heart is one of the most indispensable organs in the body, and heart diseases have ranked as part of those conditions that cause the highest number of deaths in the world today. However, little oils, diets, and changes to lifestyle habits can reverse the factors that may precipitate heart conditions. One of the most familiar factors that trigger several heart diseases is high cholesterol amounts in the body.

Cashew nut oil is one oil that supplies the body with healthy and good cholesterol. It is rich in other minerals and vitamins that will combat and reduce your chances of developing heart health conditions. It is packed with compounds like linoleic and oleic acids, both of which are types of healthy monosaturated fatty acids, a beneficial acid that contributes to the lowering of bad cholesterol levels while protecting the heart health in the process.

Improves Sight Disorders

Taking cashew nut oil daily can help improve your site and eliminate sight disorders if you have any. Research has demonstrated that the regular consumption of cashew nut oil can prevent eye conditions like macular degeneration and cataract.

These conditions are mostly associated with old age. They are characterized by the poor passage of light into the eyes, thus reducing the ability of people to see. However, when you treat your eyes to a good meal prepared with cashew nut oil, all of these sight conditions will be averted.

Protects Bone Health

Since cashew nut oil is packed with magnesium, it makes it an effective remedy for bone conditions. It helps strengthen the bones and protect them from damage. It is known to activate the enzymes that allow for the penetration of calcium into the bone.

In addition, cashew nut oil is rich in vitamin D, a compound that helps properly absorb calcium into the body. When the body is lacking in this mineral and vitamin, eating foods prepared with cashew nut oil can help boost bone health while preventing it from damage.

Conclusion

Since cashew nut oil is not a very popular oil, many people ignore it. However, it comes with numerous health benefits that should not be ignored. It is best to avoid toxic oil and enjoy healthy oil.