Cashews vs Coconut Meat: How To Choose?

Cashews and coconut meat belong to the nuts and seeds food group, an important group for a healthy diet, as they provide a wide range of essential nutrients, such as protein, healthy fats, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

In this article, we’ll put a spotlight on cashews and coconut meat and compare their similarities and differences.

They both provide a variety of nutrients and are relatively high in calories, like other nuts and seeds.

Cashews

Cashews (Anacardium occidentale) is a type of nut that is native to South America.

These nuts have a sweet and buttery flavor and are often used in a variety of dishes, including sweet and savory recipes.

Cashews are a good source of nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

They are also a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

There are many ways to incorporate cashews into your diet. They can be eaten raw or roasted and are often used in dishes as a creamy and flavorful addition.

Cashews are a common ingredient in vegan and vegetarian dishes, as they can be used to create a creamy texture when blended or soaked.

They can also be ground into flour or used to make cashew butter.

Cashews are widely available and can be found in many forms, including whole, chopped, and ground into flour.

They can be purchased raw, roasted, or salted and are often sold with the skin removed.

Whether you’re looking for a tasty snack or a versatile ingredient to add to your cooking, cashews are a great choice.

They are delicious and nutritious and can be easily incorporated into many dishes.

Cashews are an excellent source of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), and Vitamin K.

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) and some Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B9 (Folate), and Vitamin E.

Coconut Meat

Coconut meat is the white, fleshy part of the coconut that is found inside the hard outer shell of the fruit.

Coconut meat has a slightly sweet and slightly nutty flavor and is often used in various sweet and savory dishes.

Coconut meat is a good source of nutrients, including fiber, protein, and various vitamins and minerals.

It is also a good source of healthy fats, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easily absorbed and used by the body for energy.

There are many ways to incorporate coconut meat into your diet. It can be eaten raw or used in cooking to replace other types of meat.

Coconut meat can be grated, shredded, or chopped and is often used in dishes such as curries, soups, and desserts.

Coconut meat is available in various forms, including dried, frozen, and canned.

Coconut meat is widely available and can be found at most grocery stores. It is important to store coconut meat in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.

If you’re looking for tasty and nutritious food to add to your diet, consider incorporating coconut meat into your cooking.

It is flavorful, versatile, and has various health benefits.

Coconut Meat are not an excellent source of any particular vitamin.

However, they contain Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), and Vitamin B9 (Folate) in a small amount.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Nutrition

Now that we’ve described the origin, taste, and usage of these foods, we can move to the most interesting part – comparing cashews vs coconut meat.

This comparison will start by comparing the caloric value of cashews and coconut meat and their macronutrients and then go more in-depth by analyzing their vitamin and mineral contents.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Calories

Nuts and seeds are generally high in calories; the same goes for cashews and coconut meat, so you should consume them in moderation.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a proper serving is one ounce, which is roughly equal to 1/4 cup or 28 grams.

To keep the portions under control, the amounts correspond to one serving size: 14 walnut halves, 16 cashews, 24 almonds, 28 peanuts, or 45 pistachios.

Comparing coconut meat vs cashews for weight loss, coconut meat are slightly lower in calories, with 99 calories per serving, compared to 155 calories per serving of cashews.

However, both cashews and coconut meat can and should be a part of a healthy diet, and neither one shouldn’t be avoided if you’re looking to lose weight. It’s just important to eat them in moderation.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Protein

Nuts and seeds, including cashews and coconut meat, are an important source of plant-based protein.

Cashews offer around 82% more protein than coconut meat.

Cashews have 18.2 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 5.1g per serving), while coconut meat have 3.3 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 0.9g per serving).

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Carbs

Counting carbs can be important for some people for different reasons, including blood sugar control, weight management, or athletic performance.

It’s also important for people on a keto diet, so let’s compare the carbs content in cashews and coconut meat.

The total amount of carbohydrates is around 50% higher in cashews than in coconut meat. They have 30.2 grams per 100 grams, compared to 15.2 grams in coconut meat.

One handful of cashews and coconut meat (28 grams) contains 1.7 grams of sugar, the same amount.

Lastly, let’s take a look at the dietary fiber in cashews and coconut meat.

Dietary fiber keeps the digestive system healthy and helps with weight management by promoting a sense of fullness.

With 2.5 grams of fiber per portion, coconut meat are a better source of fiber than cashews which offer 0.9 grams per portion.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Fats

Like the other nuts and seeds, fats in cashews and coconut meat are a great source of healthy unsaturated fats, naturally cholesterol free, and free of trans fats.

Total fat in cashews and coconut meat:

• Cashews: 43.8 grams per 100 grams
• Coconut Meat: 33.5 per 100 grams

Speaking of saturated fats, cashews are 74% lower in saturated fats.

Cashews and coconut meat contain 7.8 grams and 29.7 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, respectively.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Vitamins Content

This section will discuss the vitamin content of cashews and coconut meat.

Vitamins are micronutrients, meaning we need only a small amount. However, they are very important for many processes in our bodies.

Cashews have a higher amount of vitamin C, and vitamin B9 (Folate).

However, coconut meat have a higher amount of vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Cashews and coconut meat contain the same amount of vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (Cobalamin).

The following table shows the exact amount of vitamins cashews and coconut meat contain side by side, so you can easily compare them.

Cashews vs Coconut Meat Minerals Content

Minerals are important for our body to function properly. We need only a small amount of minerals, so they are called micronutrients.

Some minerals, like iron, calcium, zinc or, iodine, are relatively hard to get on a plant-based diet, so it’s important to choose your foods thoughtfully. This part of the cashews and coconut meat comparison focuses on their mineral content.

Cashews are a better source of sodium than coconut meat.

On the other hand, coconut meat have a higher amount of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc.

Cashews and coconut meat contain the same amount of fluoride.

Check out the table below to learn how cashews and coconut meat compare when it comes to mineral contents.

The Final Word

Cashews and coconut meat are highly nutritious and excellent sources of plant-based protein and healthy fats.

Although they are relatively high in calories, they are essential to a healthy, plant-based diet and are linked to many health benefits.

Both cashews and coconut meat are high in specific vitamins and minerals, and including them in your diet will give you the most benefits they offer.

Nuts and seeds are versatile foods, and can be part of any meal or salad, just be sure to eat them moderately, as they are loaded with calories.

Nuts and seeds are versatile foods and can be part of any meal or salad, just be sure to eat them moderately, as they are loaded with calories.