How to use cashew nuts in your diabetic diets

Cashew is among the most consumed fruits in the world. Most people eat the fruits and throw away the nuts without knowing that the nut also has its own special benefits to the body, especially to diabetic patients. If you are among those throwing away cashew nuts, my advice to you today is never to throw out the nuts because the nuts come with loads of nutritional benefits and are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals such as copper, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Magnesium is an important element that helps preserve bone health when it interacts with calcium. It is also good in maintaining good bodily function. Cashew nuts are good because they have high level of healthy unsaturated fats that help lower bad cholesterol level.

When this excellent nut is combined with a diet low in fat, it will help diabetic patients lower triglyceride levels. Just as it is important to consume this nuts, it is also important to control your intake of the nuts as ¼ cup contains about 160 calories, 2 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, 13 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber.

However, we should all incorporate this delicious treat of nature in our diets to improve our health conditions.

Roasted Cashew nuts: I guess we all know what a roasted cashew nut is; you can either roast it in the oven or roast it locally. While roasting it, mix olive oil or butter with brown sugar, sea salt, a dash of cayenne pepper or chili pepper and finish it with some herbs if you like. Mix the hot roasted cashew nuts with the mixture and serve warm.

Cashew Butter: Cashew butter can be expensive, so you can make it yourself by combining canola oil, cashew nuts and sea salt in a blender, and blend all together. You can store this mixture in the refrigerator as it can easily become rancid at room temperature. Cashew butter can be enjoyed with bread, or with fruit like peanut butter.

Salad and Cashew nut: Try soaking 1 cup of raw cashew nuts in boiling water for 45 minutes, drain and rinse. In a blender, combine the soaked cashew nuts, about ¾ cup of the water in which the cashew was boiled, lemon juice about 1/3 cup and zest, garlic 1 clove chopped, yeast 2 spoons and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, and finish by adding chives ¼ cup chopped. Serve over your favorite salad mix. This should last up to five days if refrigerated. 

By: Mercy Kukah