There are many benefits to consuming all nuts and seeds, with one of my favorites being choosing cashews for anxiety. Did you know cashews are one of the best nuts to fight stress? It’s no wonder they help us relax and are so addicting to eat! Cashews are technically a legume, but considered a nut for their health benefits, which are very similar to tree nuts. Yet, they actually grow on the ground, just like a peanut, which is also a legume. Because of this unique property, they contain various nutrients that some other nuts don’t have, or at least in high amounts as cashews. Here’s why consuming cashews for anxiety is so effective, which should give you all the more reason to nosh on a few when you get those mid-afternoon junk food cravings out of stress.
Vitamin B6 is one of the best nutrients to focus on for stress, and is also one of the top reasons to consume cashews for anxiety. Cashews are rich Vitamin B6, and are instantly calming. It’s been found people with anxiety disorders who ate cashews for a snack suffered a huge drop in anxiety, almost immediately afterwards. B vitamins help your body cope with stress, with special focus on Vitamins B5, B6, and B12.
Protein is full of amino acids that help your body cope with stress and anxiety as well. Since cashews are legumes, they are a great source of protein, and though they're not as high as other nuts like almonds, they're still a fantastic source. For this reason, cashews help reduce anxiety, and can ward off sugar cravings as a result.
Magnesium is the ultra mineral weapon against beating anxiety, and cashews are chock full of magnesium! In fact, it’s their star mineral, and consuming just ¼ cup a day can help you get closer to your magnesium quota. All nuts and seeds are fantastic sources, so be sure you consume a variety, and don’t forget the cashews!
Monounsaturated fats help reduce your waistline, which is often the culprit for weight gain due to stress. Cashews are high in monounsaturated fats, which means they help reduce your waistline and lower your stress at the same time. It’s a win-win!
Did you know many acidic foods create anxiety from the inside out? Acidic foods like dairy, eggs, meat, processed foods, sugar, white bread, refined grains, wheat, and gluten all cause inflammation in the body, which leads to acidity. This not only makes your body feel poorly, but it also weakens your adrenal glands that help regulate mental and physical stress. If your adrenal glands get weak, you’re more prone to anxiety. So it’s important to consume more alkaline foods than acidic foods however you can. Like most all raw plant foods, raw cashews are one of the most alkaline nuts you can consume. Other good nuts for this purpose are raw almonds, raw pumpkin seeds, raw hemp seeds, and raw Brazil nuts, just to name the best.
Fiber slows down your blood sugar, which often takes a huge rise when you’re stressed out. This can make you crave sugar, and increase your cortisol, which creates more stress, leading to weight gain. It’s important to choose whole food sources of fiber, to not only lower your blood sugar levels, but also lower your stress, and therefore reduce your chances for more cortisol that leads to excess weight. Cashews are a decent source of fiber, and have more fiber than some other nuts like pecans or walnuts.
Since cashews are legumes, they’re an excellent source of iron. When you don’t get enough iron in your diet, your body can become tired and weak, which stresses your adrenals. Due to this, your entire body becomes stressed out, which contributes to anxiety. And none of us like to be tired and stressed, right? Eating more legumes, along with leafy greens, is a fantastic way to get more plant-based, iron-rich foods. Other good sources are 100% dark chocolate, raw cacao, spirulina, and all beans and legumes.
The texture of cashews is also something we can’t overlook here. Creamy, nutty, sweet, and crunchy- they’re practically the perfect little healthy nut when you’re craving something in all those categories. So, whether you want to call them a legume or a nut, either way, cashews are great for anxiety. Do you eat cashews? What’s your favorite way to eat them? I vote for cashew butter, what about you?