Eating Cashew Nuts In Large Amount May Cause High Blood Pressure

Cashew nuts are most popular nuts used in every house. It is used worldwide as a snack, as an ingredient of sweet dishes, as a topping on many vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. However, just like every other thing, there are risks and side effects of eating too many cashew nuts, and in this article, we will know about these side effects and why we should eat cashew nuts in moderate quantity.

1. Weight Gain

Eating cashew nuts in moderate quantity may help in weight management but this could turn negative when cashew nuts are consumed in excessive quantity. Cashews are a good source of energy because of their high calorific value, which means one can get a good amount of energy just by eating a handful of cashew nuts.

2. Raw Cashew are Poisonous

Although these days it is not so common to find raw or in-shell cashews at the store but even if you do then it’s best to stay away from them and give preference to commercially prepared cashew nuts. This is because raw cashews are related to poison ivy and poison sumac and oils present in the cashew shells can cause an itching and unpleasant reactions on our skin.

3. Allergies

Eating too many cashew nuts is dangerous for our health even because of the risk of allergic reactions attached to them. As per a study published in December 2003 edition of the journal “Allergy”, allergies associated with cashews are risking day by day and these allergic reactions are even more serious because they affect young children who may never have been exposed to these allergies.

4. High Blood Pressure

Eating too many salted cashew nuts may increase the blood pressure level of our body and give rise to hypertension and other health problems because of the high level of sodium ( around 181 milligrams of sodium per ounce of cashew nuts ) present in salted cashew nuts. It is important to note that level of sodium in unsalted cashew nuts is very low ( around 12 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams of cashew nuts ) which means it is better to eat unsalted cashew nuts and say no to salted cashew nuts.

5. Migraines

Eating cashew nuts is not suitable for people suffering from headaches and migraines because of the amino acids like tyramine and phenylethylamine present in them. Although these amino acids are good for our health and help in maintaining the normal blood pressure levels and provide a sense of well-being , but these amino acids may cause head pain in individuals who are sensitive to these amino acids.