Both raw and roasted cashews can be part of a healthy diet, but they differ in some key nutrients. This article compares the nutritional profiles of raw and roasted cashews and looks at the potential health benefits of each.
Nutritional profile
Cashews are rich in healthy fats, plant protein, fiber and various vitamins and minerals. However, roasting cashews can alter their nutrient content.
Macronutrients
There is little difference in the macronutrient profiles of raw and roasted cashews:
| Nutrient | Raw (per 100g) | Roasted (per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 553 | 567 |
| Protein | 18g | 18g |
| Carbs | 30g | 30g |
| Fat | 43g | 45g |
As you can see, raw and roasted cashews have almost identical amounts of protein, carbs and fat. The small differences are negligible.
Vitamins and minerals
Roasting reduces some of the vitamin and mineral content in cashews:
| Nutrient | Raw (per 100g) | Roasted (per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin K | 34mcg | 25mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5mg | 0.4mg |
| Copper | 2mg | 1.6mg |
| Magnesium | 292mg | 248mg |
Roasting causes some loss of vitamin K, B6, copper and magnesium. However, cashews still provide a good amount of these nutrients when roasted.
Other nutrients
Some other differences between raw and roasted cashews:
- Raw cashews contain small amounts of vitamin C, which is completely lost during roasting.
- Roasting slightly increases the amount of omega-6s and decreases the omega-3s in cashews.
- Roasted cashews may contain more advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress.
- Roasting reduces counts of beneficial bacteria on the cashew skins.
Weight management
Both raw and roasted cashews are high in calories and fat. Despite this, they may support weight loss in some ways:
Satiety
The protein, fiber and fat in cashews help promote satiety and fullness between meals (1).
One study found that eating cashews led to less hunger and greater satiety after a meal compared to eating rice or croutons (2).
By providing satiety, cashews may help reduce overall calorie intake and support weight management.
Metabolic rate
The monounsaturated fats in cashews may support a healthy metabolic rate. Some studies indicate diets rich in monounsaturated fat are linked to a higher resting energy expenditure compared to diets high in other types of fats (3).
A higher metabolic rate means you burn slightly more calories, which can contribute to weight loss over time.
Blood sugar control
Research shows that eating nuts like cashews may improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes (4).
Better blood sugar control is associated with lower long-term weight gain risk.
Heart health
Both raw and roasted cashews contain nutrients that promote heart health, including:
Unsaturated fats
Around 80% of the fat in cashews is unsaturated, primarily in the form of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Diets rich in monounsaturated fats are linked to improved cholesterol levels and lower heart disease risk (5).
Magnesium
Cashews are one of the best dietary sources of magnesium. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow, which may reduce blood pressure (6).
Plant sterols
Phytosterols are compounds found naturally in plants that can help lower LDL cholesterol. Cashews contain small amounts of phytosterols.
Antioxidants
Raw cashews have some vitamin C and selenium which act as antioxidants to protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation. Roasted cashews may be lower in these antioxidants.
Cancer prevention
Cashews contain nutrients that may help lower the risk of cancer:
Selenium
Selenium has been shown to induce cell death in cancers like leukemia. It also may reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer (7).
Dietary fiber
Fiber has been associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. The fiber in cashews may contribute to a protective effect (8).
Vitamin K
Higher vitamin K intake is linked to a reduced risk of prostate, liver and colon cancers. The vitamin K in raw cashews may have an anti-cancer effect (9).
Digestive health
Here are some of the ways both raw and roasted cashews may support digestive health:
Probiotics
Raw cashews have probiotics on their outer skins that may promote good gut bacteria. However, this benefit is reduced when the cashews are roasted (10).
Fiber
The fiber in cashews helps promote regular bowel movements and healthy stool consistency.
Magnesium
Magnesium relaxes muscles in the digestive tract, helping food move through the gut more easily.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability refers to how efficiently nutrients in foods are extracted by the body.
Some studies indicate that the bioavailability of minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium may be lower from roasted nuts compared to raw varieties (11).
However, other studies find no difference in mineral absorption between raw and roasted nuts (12).
Overall, roasting doesn’t seem to have a major effect on the bioavailability of cashew nutrients for most people. But eating them raw ensures maximum nutrient absorption.
Antinutrients
Raw cashews contain antinutrients like phytic acid that can reduce absorption of minerals like iron and zinc. Roasting helps break down some of these antinutrients, which may improve the bioavailability of minerals (13).
However, the phytic acid in cashews doesn’t appear to substantially reduce mineral absorption for most people who eat a varied diet.
Allergies
Tree nuts like cashews can cause allergic reactions in those with nut allergies.
Some research shows that roasted nuts are less allergenic than raw varieties (14). This is because the high heat of roasting breaks down allergenic proteins.
So people with cashew allergies may be able to tolerate roasted cashews better than raw.
Toxicity
Raw cashews contain urushiol, an irritant found in poison ivy. Urushiol can cause skin rashes and irritation.
The high heat of roasting breaks down urushiol, making roasted cashews safe to eat for most people.
Downsides of roasted cashews
While roasting improves cashews in some ways, potential downsides include:
- Lower antioxidant content
- Increased advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
- Higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio
- Loss of probiotics
- Reduced vitamin K, vitamin B6, copper and magnesium
Overall though, these declines in nutrients are quite small and insignificant for most people.
Summary
To summarize the key differences:
| Raw | Roasted |
|---|---|
| Higher antioxidants | May be better tolerated by those with nut allergy |
| More vitamin K | No toxicity concerns |
| More vitamin B6 | Lower antinutrient content |
| More magnesium | Slightly more fat and calories |
| More copper | |
| Contains probiotics |
Conclusion
Both raw and roasted cashews are highly nutritious. Roasting reduces some vitamins and minerals, but not significantly.
Raw cashews contain more vitamin K, vitamin B6, copper and antioxidants. They also have probiotics and are non-toxic.
However, roasting improves digestibility and bioavailability of minerals. Roasted cashews may also be better tolerated by those with nut allergies.
In moderation, both raw and roasted cashews can be part of a healthy diet. Choose raw for maximum nutrition or roasted for improved digestibility and fewer allergy concerns.