Are Cashew Nuts a Nutritious Replacement for Groundnuts?

I discovered cashew nuts were delicious by chance in a laboratory, as they were being roasted in a microwave. The nuts had a peculiarly appealing scent. When I moved closer to the microwave, I was surprised to find that the subjects of attention were the same nuts I’d seen multiple times all around the country.

I was also surprised that cashew nuts could be golden brown and shimmering. For years I’d watched roadside sellers pack handfuls of these nuts into nylons and hawk them in evening traffic. They always looked bland. I could imagine them in a bowl of garri, tasteless on the tongue, dulling the vibe!

Science shows that cashew nuts are as nutritious as groundnuts. Once I had a handful of those golden-brown nuts in that laboratory, I had to agree. My perspective changed, and I realized that a lot of us didn’t recognize how nutritious cashew nuts are. In this article, I’m here to help you see the light.

Cashew Nut vs Groundnut: A Breakdown

Cashew nuts and groundnuts—also called peanuts in some regions—are both nutritional, multipurpose nuts. Let’s explore how their nutritional differences and other ways they vary from each other.

Nutritional Comparison

Per 100 grams, here’s how the two nuts stack up:

Source: Nursing Hero

From this, we see that:

• Cashew nuts contain more carbohydrates than groundnuts, though groundnuts supply more dietary fiber.
• Both nuts are rich in protein and healthy fats.
• Both nuts supply similar portions of calories
• Cashew nuts are richer in minerals—magnesium, iron, zinc—while groundnuts are richer in vitamins.

Where either of the nuts trails in one compartment, it makes up for in another compartment. 

Other Factors

Cashew nuts also differ from groundnuts in taste, accessibility, and production process.

Taste

Taste preferences are subjective, but generally:

• Cashew Nuts: Known for their creamy, slightly sweet flavor and smooth texture. The nuts evoke a toasty, buttery scent if roasted in a pre-heated oven. 
• Groundnuts: Roasted groundnuts have an earthy, robust taste with a brittle texture.

Accessibility

In Nigeria, both nuts are widely available and can be bought from in both walk-in and online grocery stores. Cashew nuts are inevitably more costly than groundnuts, given their production process (more on that below). On PricePally, a bottle of cashew nuts costs N3,640 while a similar measure of groundnuts goes for N1430.

Production Processes

Cashew nuts come from cashew trees, grown in tropical climates. The harvesting process is labor-intensive, involving multiple stages to remove the toxic shells and drain out any toxins present in the cashew fruit. This yields the edible content and is responsible for the high purchasing price. Ivory Coast is a leading producer of cashew nuts.

Business Insider breaks down the factors contributing to the inflated cost of the nuts 👇🏽

Groundnuts, though, are easier to produce. Once harvested, they can be boiled in their shells or de-shelled and roasted with different methods—dry, oil, or sand roasting.

Since they take such a laborious process before they become edible, we must ask, what are the health benefits of eating cashew nuts?

Nutritional Benefits of Cashew Nuts

Given the nutrient table provided above, we know that cashew nuts contribute to strong bones (magnesium content) and are good for heart health (right proportion of unsaturated fat). Here are five nutritional benefits to note:

Support Heart Health

The healthy fats in cashew nuts lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. These nuts also promote better blood vessel function and improve circulation in the body.

Contribution to Bone Health

Cashew nuts—and nuts generally—are a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium, all of which are essential for bone formation and maintenance. Magnesium, in particular, helps regulate how your body absorbs and breaks down calcium, which keeps bones dense and strong. Regular consumption of cashews may lower the risk of bone weakness and improve overall skeletal health.

Weight Management

Cashew nuts can be a great addition to a balanced diet. Although they are energy-dense, they provide a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness and reduces cravings. The protein and fiber slow digestion, keeping blood sugar levels stable and preventing overeating. Some studies suggest that moderate nut consumption may even boost metabolism, helping the body burn calories more efficiently.

Immune Function

Thanks to its zinc content and antioxidants like vitamin E, cashew nuts help with immune function. Zinc aids immune cell development and function, helping the body fight off infections and heal wounds. The nuts also reduce inflammation and keep cells from damage.

Versatile for Consumption

There are more than one ways to add cashew nuts to your diet. You can chew on them as snacks while at work or visiting with friends. You can also try cashew butter,—made by roasting cashews and blending with coconut oil (or any oil available)—spreading it over bread.

Or if you’re all for experimenting, you can soak some nuts and blend with lemon juice to make your dairy-free cheese.

Can You Make Cashew Nut Soup?

Yes, surprisingly. We know that peanut soup is a common staple in various parts of Nigeria; it has also gained reception in East Asia and some parts of the United States. Cashew nut soup has equally been tested in a few countries and can be prepared in multiple ways. In Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, the soup is prepared as Chicken Cashew Nut soup.

For this soup:

• The chicken soup forms the base, made by steady cooking of chicken in a puree of onions, tomatoes, and peppers.
• You blend fresh nuts until it forms a smooth paste. This is the last ingredient added to the soup.
• You can enhance the soup’s flavor by adding a range of local spices including rosemary, basil, ginger, and garlic.

You can pair the soup with rice, rice balls, yams, or fufu.

These nuts also pop when made into cashew cream soup, a vegan-style soup that’s often combined with mushrooms for a burst of flavor. And if you’re going for some fusion, you can combine cashew paste with coconut milk, seasoned with ginger and garlic for a tropical taste.

Whatever Your Preference…

A bottle of cashew nuts is a great item to keep in your pantry, if your budget allows it. The nutrients match up to what groundnuts, or any other nut, offers. The nuts taste as good as your favorite packaged snack.

Cashew nuts turn up either as snacks to get your jaws moving or as paste to explore different soups and break away from your traditional, go-to meals.