Health benefits of Cashew nuts Cashews are high in calories. 100 g of nuts provide 553 calories. They packed with soluble dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and numerous health-promoting phytochemicals that help protect from diseases and cancers. They are rich in â??heart-friendlyâ?? monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic, and palmitoleic acids. These essential fatty acids help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol in the blood. Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids contribute to preventing coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile. Cashew nuts are abundant sources of essential minerals. Manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium are especially concentrated in them. A handful of cashew nuts a day in the diet would provide enough of these minerals and may help prevent deficiency diseases. Selenium is an important micronutrient, which functions as a co-factor for antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione peroxidases, one of the most powerful antioxidants in the body. Copper is a cofactor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Zinc is a co-factor for many enzymes that regulate growth and development, gonadal function, digestion, and DNA (nucleic acid) synthesis. Principle Nutrient Value Percentage of RDA Energy 553 Kcal 28% Carbohydrates 30.19 g 23% Protein 18.22 g 32.5% Total Fat 43.85 g 146% Cholesterol 0 mg 0% Dietary Fiber 3.3 g 8.5% Vitamins Folates 25 �µg 6% Niacin 1.062 mg 6.5% Pantothenic acid 0.864 mg 17% Pyridoxine 0.417 mg 32% Riboflavin 0.058 mg 4.5% Thiamin 0.423 mg 35% Vitamin A 0 IU 0% Vitamin C 0.5 mg 1% Vitamin E 5.31 mg 35% Vitamin K 34.1 �µg 28% Electrolytes Sodium 12 mg 1% Potassium 660 mg 14% Minerals Calcium 37 mg 4% Copper 2.195 mg 244% Iron 6.68 mg 83.5% Magnesium 292 mg 73% Manganese 1.655 mg 72% Phosphorus 593 mg 85% Selenium 19.9 �µg 36% Zinc 5.78 mg 52.5% Carotene-�? 0 �µg -- Crypto-xanthin-�? 0 �µg -- Lutein-zeaxanthin 22 �µg --