Key Takeaways
- Cashews contain mostly unsaturated fats and key nutrients that can support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure when eaten in moderation.
- Choosing unsalted cashews helps limit sodium intake, which is important for managing blood pressure.
- Swapping cashews for less nutritious snacks and eating about a handful per day can support a heart-healthy diet.
Cashews are crunchy, nutrient-rich tree nuts that contain monounsaturated fats, potassium, and fiber. Some research has shown that regularly eating cashews helps control cholesterol and blood pressure.
Are Cashews Heart-Healthy?
Unlike other nuts, cashews have not received a heart-healthy label from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they have slightly more saturated fat than the agencies allow for that designation.
Most nuts must have less than 4 g of saturated fat per 50 g to qualify, but cashews contain 4.4 g. Saturated fats are typically considered less “heart-healthy” since they can raise LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease.
However, most of the saturated fat in cashews is stearic acid, a type of saturated fatty acid that doesn’t raise blood cholesterol levels.
Even though cashews have slightly more saturated fats than almonds or pistachios, most of the fats in cashews are mono- or polyunsaturated fats, which can help improve cholesterol levels.
“Cashews can definitely be part of a heart-healthy nutrition pattern when eaten in the right portions,” Grace A. Derocha, MBA, RD, CDCES, a Detroit-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Verywell.
How Much Should You Eat?
Like most nuts, cashews are high in calories, so enjoy them in moderation.
You can maximize their benefits by eating them in place of less nutritious snacks. In a small 2017 study, people had lower cholesterol levels when they ate cashews instead of potato chips.
“A small handful of unsalted nuts most days—cashews included—offers heart protection when swapped for less healthy snacks,” John Higgins, MD, a cardiologist at UTHealth Houston, told Verywell in an email.
Higgins recommends eating about 15-20 cashews per day.
Related Stories
Choose Unsalted Cashews to Manage Blood Pressure
Check the nutrition label for sodium before stocking up on cashews. Excess sodium can raise blood pressure, and the AHA recommends consuming less than 2,300 mg per day.
One ounce of roasted, salted cashews has 181 mg of sodium.
Since most roasted cashews are salted, you can buy raw cashews, or you can roast them yourself to enhance the flavor, Derocha said.
Beyond sodium, cashews don’t appear to have a major effect on blood pressure. A small 2019 randomized controlled trial found that eating 42 g of cashews daily did not change blood pressure, while a 2020 meta-analysis suggested cashews might lower systolic blood pressure.
Derocha said the evidence is modest but “skews positively.” Cashews also provide magnesium, potassium, and unsaturated fats, which help keep blood vessels flexible and support healthy blood pressure.
Should You Eat Cashews Every Day for Heart Health?
Cashews can fit into a daily heart-healthy diet. A 2022 study found that people who ate a handful of nuts daily, including cashews, had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
You will get health benefits if you eat the nuts all at once or throughout the day, so just find what works for you, said Bethany Doerfler, MS, RDN, a senior clinical research dietitian at the Digestive Health Institute at Northwestern Medicine.
If you get bored with eating a handful of cashews every day, try to mix up your routine. Throw cashews on a salad or mix them into a plant-based rice bowl.
“Pair a protein like a tree nut, let’s say cashews, with a produce item, like a fruit or a vegetable. Then you’re really helping to treat blood pressure, regulate blood sugars, and regulate cholesterol because you’ve got this nice matrix of fiber, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fat all together,” Doerfler said.