5 Amazing Benefits of Cashew Butter

Peanut butter is a great American staple. What childhood is complete without a fresh, cold peanut butter and jelly sandwich? However, if you're looking for added health benefits, there are a variety of other nut butter options on the market.

Because of its enduring popularity, peanut butter often eclipses other types of nut butter. The average grocery shopper walking through the supermarket may be entirely unaware that things like sun butter or almond butter exist. 

One of the least-known types of nut butter is cashew butter. What is cashew butter, you ask? Simply put, it's butter made from cashews that offer an abundance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

And did you know that cashew butter also has several health benefits linked to it. Not only is it healthy but incredibly delicious!

At American Dream Nut Butter we are excited to expand our product line to offer creamy handcrafted cashew butter that the whole family will enjoy.

Read on as we share some of our favorite reasons why you should consider adding cashew butter to your diet. In addition to learning about its nutritional benefits, you'll also find some fun ways to use it too! 

1. Nutrient Rich Cashew Butter 

In talking about the nutritional benefits of cashew butter, we should begin with what nutrients it includes. Unlike peanut butter and some of the other nut butters, this nut butter does not contain omega-3 fatty acids. 

Don't let that deceive you, though! What this butter lacks in omega-3s, it makes up for in several other key vitamins and minerals.

One tablespoon of cashew butter contains 8g of fat. However, most of those fats are monounsaturated fats. In other words, they are healthy fats as opposed to unhealthy saturated fats.  

Another key nutrient in cashew butter is selenium. Selenium is crucial to your health, as it fights free radical molecules and particles. These particles damage such parts of your body as proteins, DNA, and cell membranes.

Selenium fights these free radicals, preventing them from harming your cells through oxidation. Since cashew butter contains high amounts of selenium, it is an excellent addition to your diet.

Cashew butter is also high in iron content, making it a useful addition to any vegan or vegetarian diet. Two tablespoons of cashew butter provide you with 10% of the recommended daily iron intake.

Furthermore, because it is made from cashews, this butter retains many of the same nutrients found in the cashew itself. This includes a little potassium, vitamin K, magnesium (more on this later!), and calcium.

A tablespoon of cashew butter offers 2.8g of protein which places it just behind peanut butter. However, peanut butter doesn't provide the same amount of iron and magnesium, and it has more saturated fats.

2. Boosts Cardiac Health

One of the most beneficial features of cashew butter nutrition is its promotion of cardiac health. Because cashew butter has so many monounsaturated fats, it fights harmful cholesterol.

Not all cholesterol is bad for you. The kind you need to monitor is LDL-cholesterol, often called "bad cholesterol." LDL-cholesterol makes up most of the cholesterol in your body.

When your body has too much bad cholesterol, it can cause the cholesterol to build on your blood vessels. When too much buildup occurs, it blocks the blood from flowing to your heart. This can lead to chest pain or a heart attack. 

Supplying your body with monounsaturated fats helps prevent the buildup of bad cholesterol in your blood vessels. As such, cashew butter is an excellent supplement in helping to fight high cholesterol. 

3. Resists Diabetes

Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic and particularly so in the US. Roughly 10% of the population suffers from this condition. One of the causes and enduring symptoms of diabetes is the deregulation of your blood sugar.

Keeping your blood sugar regulated goes a long way to prevent diabetes from developing in your body. Fortunately, cashew butter is a useful aid in regulating blood sugar levels.

It turns out, a handful of cashews a day can help to prevent diabetes. Even in patients with Type-2 diabetes, cashews help to lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol buildup. Cashew butter preserves these benefits. 

4. Rich in Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium, potassium, and sodium and plays a crucial role in keeping your body fit and healthy!

However one study found that half of all Americans reach their necessary daily magnesium intake. Foods high in magnesium include green vegetables, egg yolk, soybeans, brown rice, and  yup, you guessed it...cashews!

Ensuring you take in adequate magnesium is important for keeping your muscles in shape, and ensuring both your metabolic functions and immune system are optimized for peak performance. Magnesium also helps to regulate blood pressure levels and aids in the absorption of calcium, another important mineral.

5. This Nut Butter Fits Many Diet Plans

Cashew butter is compatible with a wide range of diet plans, from vegan to simple weight-loss programs. It's gluten-free, low in carbs and sugar, high in protein, and free of artificial sweeteners.

Cashew butter is also high in (good for you!) calories, which makes it a filling and healthy snack.

Because nut butters are a type of butter, they make a flavorful ingredient in several recipes. If you want a little more nutritional value in your morning oatmeal, you can mix some cashew butter in.

Alternatively, you can make some delicious savory cashew butter recipes, like this curried cashew butter chicken. 

Try Some Cashew Butter Today!

Cashew butter is a delicious and healthy treat for any diet, perfect for an afternoon snack or a delightful ingredient in a new dinner recipe.

At American Dream Nut Butter we proudly offer a variety of creamy, flavorful specialized cashew butter varieties, all easily available for purchase online. Whether you're a fan of natural cashew butter or want to curb your sweet tooth with our Cookies & Cream version, we have a cashew butter for everyone!