Health Benefits of Cashew Apple by Lovneet Batra

Episode 5

Summary

Cashew apples are native to our country and have a whole host of benefits that you should include in your diet. Listen to know more about Cashew Apples and its Benefits.

Notes

Cashew apples: what they are, how they look + taste
‍Health benefits of cashew apples
‍Nutrients found in cashew apples
‍How cashew apples help in weight loss
‍How to make cashew apple juice
How often to have cashew apples

‍Hello everyone this is Lovneet Batra your health expert and clinical nutritionist and you're listening to my podcast Nutrition By Lovneet.

Every season there seem to be a new superfood doing the rounds we eat kale or goji berries or avocados. These seem too exotic and sometimes too out of our budget so I thought why not pick a lesser known superfood, that's plentiful in our backyard, the cashew apple, or the cashew fruit of the cashew nut. It is nutrient dense tasty and can be had as a juice, or just as a fruit, and be it various concerns of health from weight to muscle development to stomach ailments, it can help us sort all these out. 

So what are cashew apples? What do they look like? H ow do we have these exotic looking fruits that are found locally in India? So as the name suggests, cashew apples are the fruit of cashew nut, and before cashews are picked and shelled, they are found on trees, attached to a big dome shaped fruit at it's base. And this can range from yellow to pink and orange. The actual nut grows at the base of this fruit, and is encased in a papery shell. In Goa, India, the juice from cashew apples is extracted to make a locally famous distilled liquor Feni.

But let's talk about this fruit, the tangy and sweet cashew apple is very high anti-oxidants. And in fact, is anti inflammatory in nature. It has very potent wound healing properties. For anybody trying to lose weight. 

This fruit can help with weight loss goals. how? when any fruit that is rich in antioxidants and has the capacity to lower inflammation will help in sustainable fat loss. It is when our body is under stress under high inflammation, it is more difficult to let go of fat stores. 

‍So if you are struggling with inflammation, if you're struggling with high free radical load in your body because of too much travel, eating out a lot, then this is the fruit you want to include at least once a week in your diet.

Now cashew apple is also very good for Eye Health. It contains high levels of lutein zeaxanthin and acts as strong antioxidants that help in improving eyesight. This juice is antibacterial, and in fact, is very effective in even treating stomach ulcers and gastritis, it is a natural prebiotic so it can really help in improving our gut healt. 

With high levels of vitamin C, it makes a potent immunity booster. It contains a unique extract, called anacardic acid, which is again a very powerful antioxidant and it shows amazing effects in decreasing pigmentation on our skin. So if you're looking for something to increase the glow and brightening effect on your skin for its anti aging benefits, go for cashew fruit as a rich  source of magnesium. It is really good for relaxing, our muscles, so it makes a great drink for our heart health, which is a muscle, and it helps in lowering high blood pressure. 

Now talking of muscles. It also helps with muscle development. Yes, and study published in Journal of International Society of sports nutrition revealed that men who drank cashew apple juice during high intensity workout had enhanced fat utilization and better muscle health. 

And if you're still looking for more reasons to enjoy this amazing cashew fruit. It is also known to have neuroprotective effects and it is really good for cognition enhancement. So to up all the benefits, I want to share a very simple recipe of cashew apple juice, that can help you keep all the nutrients intact, and in fact the combination here will help you even more in enhancing the properties present. So, take two cashew apples, and one inch of ginger, two garlic colves blend it all together, and it's ready to drink.

Thank you for listening if you found this information helpful you can subscribe to my podcast Nutrition by Lovneet you can also visit our web page www.nutritionbylovneet.com  for health updates, healthy recipes and exciting ways to stay fit