Are Cashews Paleo? 2 Huge Concerns + 15 Recipes and Downloadable List
Nuts are a favorite snack of Paleo folks everywhere, so what about cashews?
What are Cashews?
Cashews are the seeds of the cashew apple. So it’s not technically a nut, but rather a seed.
Many people mistakenly believe that cashews are a legume, which is not the case.
Potential Concerns
The 2 concerns about cashews are the same as every other nut and seed:
1. There’s a lot of phytic acid in cashews. In truth, this just means that you’re not going to absorb as many nutrients from your cashews, meaning that they’re less nutritious than you might hope.
2. Cashews (as well as other nuts) are very easy to overeat. It’s nice to believe that if we stick to Paleo foods, that our bodies will automatically regulate the right amount for us to eat. This is generally true, but not always. Foods like cashews are very easy to overeat, and particularly if you’re trying to lose weight, then this can derail your efforts.
Are Cashews Paleo?
Yes, but watch how much you eat.
The case against cashews is relatively limited. Although they’re not as nutritious as some foods, not everything you eat has to be a Paleo superfood.
What’s great about cashews is its versatility – you can make it into a cashew flour to use in baked goods and as a breading, or into cashew cheese for use in various dishes, or into a cashew butter, or whole. Check out some of the recipes below for ideas.
Here Are Some Delicious Cashew Recipes:
1. Seared Swordfish Steaks with Lemon Cashew Crust
2. Cashew Cheesecake (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free)
3. Ginger Cashew Beef Stir-Fry
6. Chestnut Cashew Chili Chocolate Chip Cookies
7. Choccy Mousse with Cashew Cream
8. Blueberry Mango Cashew Cream Parfait
12. Cashew Cardamon Date Balls
14. Raw Lavender Lemon Tea Cookies
15. Coconut & Cashew Quick Cookies
Images: Copyright (c) Marek from Fotolia and lovelymama from Fotolia