Cashew Nuts Benefits & Nutrition Facts

Cashew nuts benefits get thrown around a lot without much detail behind them, so here's what a real serving actually contains. A standard serving is about a small handful — roughly 28g, or 15-18 whole cashews. That's a useful reference point, since it's easy to eat well past it without noticing: cashews are calorie-dense, so portion awareness matters more with these than with, say, an apple.

Like most tree nuts, cashews are primarily fat by weight. Most of that is unsaturated fat — the kind generally associated with better cholesterol profiles when it replaces saturated fat in the diet, rather than being added on top of it.

They're also a decent source of plant-based protein per serving, which is part of why a small handful can feel more satisfying than an equivalent amount of a purely carb-based snack.

Cashews are a particularly good source of magnesium and copper compared to other common snack nuts, along with meaningful amounts of iron, zinc, and manganese. Magnesium in particular is a mineral a lot of diets fall short on, and a handful of cashews is one of the more pleasant ways to close that gap.

Roasting cashews changes flavor and texture far more than it changes nutrition — the core fat, protein, and mineral content stays roughly the same whether raw or roasted. Where it matters more is added salt and oil: a lightly roasted, lightly salted cashew is nutritionally close to raw, while heavily seasoned or candied versions add sugar and sodium worth being mindful of if you're eating them often.

If you're watching sodium specifically, our raw or unsalted options give you the same base nutrition without the added salt.

According to the Global Cashew Council, a 28 gram serving contains roughly 160 calories, about 4 grams of protein, around 13 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbohydrate and just under 1 gram of fibre. It also supplies minerals including magnesium, copper, zinc, iron and phosphorus. These are approximate values for plain cashews, and flavoured ones will differ a little. We go through the serving size in how many cashews to eat a day, and the minerals in the minerals in cashews.

Cashews work best as one part of a varied diet, as a replacement for a less filling snack and not as an extra on top, and not as a cure or a supplement. A small handful with fruit, or a few chopped over a rice dish or a bowl of yoghurt, adds protein, minerals and crunch. For how they compare with other nuts, see our comparison of cashews with other nuts.

Cashews are a tree nut and can cause serious allergic reactions, so they are not suitable for anyone with a tree nut allergy. People on a restricted diet, for example for kidney problems, and anyone watching their salt or calories, should talk to a doctor or dietitian about how much is right for them. This post is general information and not medical advice.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like our guides to cashew myths vs facts, how cashews compare with other nuts and raw vs roasted cashews.