Almonds vs Cashews: Which Is Less Inflammatory?
Almonds
Cashews
Almonds are less inflammatory than cashews. Both are Low on the scale, so this is a choice between good and slightly better rather than right and wrong.
The difference is what sits inside the nut. A cashew is the starchiest one on the shelf, with about a quarter of the fibre of an almond, while almonds bring vitamin E and, in that brown skin, most of their plant compounds. Cashews also tend to arrive fried in oil and heavily salted, or glazed with honey, which is a bigger problem than the starch. Buy raw or dry roasted whichever nut you pick, and leave the skins on the almonds.
Side by side
| Almonds | Cashews | |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Score | Low · 2/10 | Low · 3/10 |
| Category | Nuts & Seeds | Nuts & Seeds |
| Serving size | 1 small handful (28 g, about 23 nuts) | 1 small handful (28 g, about 18 nuts) |
| Key nutrients | Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), Proanthocyanidins (in the skin), Magnesium, Riboflavin (B2) | Copper, Magnesium, Oleic acid, Starch |
| How often | Daily, one small handful, plain and unblanched | A small handful most days, plain and unsalted |
On the AIP diet
Almonds
Almonds come out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, along with every other nut and seed. Almond flour and almond butter go with them, which is what makes AIP baking awkward at first: coconut flour and cassava flour take over. Almonds usually come back in the first rounds of reintroduction, and a few plain ones with the skins on make a clean test.
Cashews
Cashews come out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, along with every other nut and seed. That one stings more than it sounds, because cashew cream is the standard dairy substitute outside AIP, and on the protocol coconut milk takes the job. Nuts return early in the reintroduction, but trial cashews on their own: reactions to them are common and can be sharp.
What each one brings
Almonds
- Much of the fat stays locked inside the nut, so fewer calories reach you than the label says
- The densest everyday source of vitamin E, the antioxidant that protects your cell membranes
- The brown skin holds the plant compounds, so unblanched almonds beat pale ones
- A daily handful for six weeks moved inflammation markers, with no weight lost
Cashews
- A small handful covers most of a day's copper, which the body uses to build antioxidant enzymes
- The fat is largely the same monounsaturated kind that makes up olive oil
- Soaked and blended they make the creamiest dairy-free sauce of any nut
- A quiet source of magnesium, which most people fall short of
Watch out for
Almonds
- Ground into flour or butter the cells are already broken, so more of the fat comes out
- One of the most common tree nut allergies, and a severe one
- Honey roasted, salted or chocolate coated almonds are a sweet, not a nut
- Easy to eat half a bag without noticing, at 160 calories a handful
Cashews
- The starchiest nut on the shelf, with about a quarter of the fibre of an almond
- Cashew allergy is less common than peanut allergy, but the reactions are often severe
- Most are sold fried in oil and heavily salted, or glazed with honey
- Soft rather than crunchy, so they take less chewing and a bag empties fast
Get the inflammation score of any meal
Just snap a photo or describe your food to get its inflammation score and uncover hidden patterns that may be affecting your well-being.
