What are cashew benefits and side effects? Are cashews low fodmap? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Vegan? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are cashew pros and cons: all the info on cashews that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on cashew benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about cashew benefits and side effects. This will include cashew benefits for health and potential risks, cashew water footprint and cashew carbon footprint, cashew sustainability, if cashews are vegan or impacts animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if cashews are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be prepared to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about cashew benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Cashew Benefits and Side Effects
Health
Cashew benefits for health may include:
- eye health
- joint health
- improved vision
- blood health
- boosted immune system
- bone strengthening
- diabetes management and prevention
- heart health
- cancer prevention
- heart disease prevention
- stroke prevention
- hair growth and hair health
- skin health and glowing complexion
- weight loss
Additionally, cashews are…
- Gluten Free
- A Common Food Allergen: TREE NUT
- High Fodmap
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- Plastic-free storage.
- Keeps food fresh.
- Organizes your kitchen.
- We love it!
Environment
Water footprint: high, it takes 14,218 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of cashews / 1,704 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of cashews
Carbon footprint: moderate, 2.0 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of tree nuts, a car driving equivalent of 5 miles or 8 kilometers
Destruction: low, cashew production is moderately sustainable, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Cashews are…
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Sustainable Cooking
Animals
Kills: none, cashew production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, cashew production does not require any animals
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from cashew production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Cashews are…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
Laborers
Health and safety: dangerous conditions, anacardic acid is present in the fruit that cashew nuts grow which burns the skin, Human Rights Watch reports by suggest in Vietnam drug addicts are in forced-labor ‘rehabilitation’ camps for cashew production and processing, those who refuse to work are beaten with truncheons, given electric shocks, locked in isolation, deprived of food and water, and obliged to work even longer hours
Living conditions: laborers often face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: poverty-line wages are typical for cashew workers some reports of only a few dollars per month, India’s cashew workers (mostly women) are employed without contracts, no guarantee of steady income, no pension or holiday pay
Cashews have…
- Labor issues and human rights concerns
Where do most cashews come from? 📍
The world’s top cashew producing country is Ivory Coast, followed by India and Burundi.
The world’s top cashew exporting country is Vietnam, followed by India, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil, Indonesia, USA, Mozambique, Ivory Coast and UK.
Are cashews nutritious? 🥗
Yes! Cashews are high in Vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, healthy unsaturated fats and antioxidants.
Are cashews alkaline or acidic?
Cashews are acidic.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
Are cashews gluten free?
Yes, cashews are gluten free. Cashews do not contain gluten.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Are cashews a common food allergen?
Yes, cashews are a common food allergen: tree nuts. Many people may experience allergic reactions to cashews.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Are cashews low fodmap?
No, cashews are high fodmap, a food you should eliminate if on a low fodmap diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
Water footprint of cashews?
Cashews have a high water footprint compared to other foods.
It takes about 14,218 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of cashews / 1,704 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of cashews.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Carbon footprint of cashews?
Cashews have a moderate carbon footprint compared to other foods.
It takes around 2.0 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of tree nuts, a car driving equivalent of 5 miles or 8 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may be…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Are cashews sustainable?
Cashew production is moderately sustainable. Be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
Read more about ‘What Makes Food Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
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Sustainable Cooking
Are cashews vegan?
Yes, cashews are vegan. Cashews are a tree nut and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
Do cashews have human rights issues?
Yes, at this time, there are reports of worker mistreatment and exploitation regarding cashew production.
Regarding health and safety, cashew production involves dangerous conditions. Anacardic acid is present in the fruit that cashew nuts grow which burns the skin. Human Rights Watch reports suggest in Vietnam drug addicts are in forced-labor ‘rehabilitation’ camps for cashew production and processing. Those who refuse to work are beaten with truncheons, given electric shocks, locked in isolation, deprived of food and water, and obliged to work even longer hours.
Regarding payment, cashew production involves poverty-line wages. There are some reports of only a few dollars per month for India’s cashew workers (mostly women) who are employed without contracts with no guarantee of steady income, no pension or holiday pay.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Ultimately, fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
Finally, can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
This post was all about cashew benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Nuts, cashew nuts, raw – FoodData Central – USDA
Tree Nuts | USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
USDA Launches West Africa Cashew Project
