Nuts and seeds
Cashews
Cashews packs 553 kcal into 100 g (3.5 oz), so a typical 25 g (0.9 oz) serving already adds up to about 138 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 1 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very high energy density: 553 kcal/100 g | −2 |
| Protein: 3.3 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 0.6 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Solid food with 5.2 g of water, under 70 | 0 |
| Sum | −1 |
| Raised to the minimum of 1 | 1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 6 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 170162
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 138 kcal per serving
- 553 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 4.6 g per serving
- 18.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 7.6 g per serving
- 30.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 1.5 g per serving
- 5.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0.8 g per serving
- 3.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 11 g per serving
- 43.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.9 g per serving
- 7.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 1.3 g per serving
- 5.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Nuts, cashew nuts, raw (FDC ID 170162), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 25 g (0.9 oz) serving provides about 138 kcal, 4.6 g of protein, and 0.8 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The cashew is the seed of the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale), which grows, kidney-shaped, beneath a fleshy false fruit, the cashew apple. It is called anacardo in Spain, nuez de la India in Mexico, marañón in Central America and Colombia, merey in Venezuela and castaña de cajú in Argentina and Uruguay, and it is always sold without the shell, raw, roasted, fried and salted, or honey-coated. This page covers raw cashews, with 553 kcal, 18.2 g of protein, 43.8 g of fat and 30.2 g of carbohydrate per 100 g according to USDA.
A 25 g (0.9 oz) serving, a small handful, provides 138 kcal, 4.6 g of protein, 0.8 g of fiber and 11 g of fat: a lot of energy in little volume, which does not replace the protein part of the plate. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy notes that fat slows stomach emptying and suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment; in those days, and after each dose increase, a few chopped cashews over yogurt may sit better than a whole handful. Serve them in a small bowl instead of eating from the bag, and choose raw or unsalted roasted cashews over fried and salted ones.
What the evidence says
With 292 mg of magnesium per 100 g they far exceed the 112.5 mg the EU requires for a "high magnesium" claim, and a 25 g serving provides 73 mg, 19% of the 375 mg reference value; that means they could carry authorized claims such as "magnesium contributes to normal muscle function" or "magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue", which only require the food to be at least a source of magnesium (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012). A 2021 meta-analysis pooled 86 randomized trials with 5,873 participants, who ate a median of 45.5 g of nuts a day for a median of 8 weeks, and nuts did not raise body weight compared with the control diets (difference 0.09 kg, 95% CI −0.09 to 0.27); in 6 cohort studies with 569,910 people, eating nuts was associated with a 7% lower risk of overweight or obesity (Obesity Reviews, 2021). Only 4 of its 114 comparisons used cashews, and it was not done in people taking GLP-1 medications. It was funded by a fellowship from Ontario's PSI physicians' foundation and an award from the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre at the University of Toronto, with no role for the funders in the study, although several authors report funding or support from nut industry organizations such as the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council or the Almond Board of California.
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about cashews
How much protein is in a 25 g (0.9 oz) serving of cashews?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cashews has 18.2 g of protein. A typical 25 g (0.9 oz) serving has about 4.6 g of protein. That is 3.3 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories does a 25 g (0.9 oz) serving of cashews have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cashews has 553 kcal. A typical 25 g (0.9 oz) serving has about 138 kcal. That is a very high energy density.
Does cashews have fiber?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cashews has 3.3 g of fiber. A typical 25 g (0.9 oz) serving has about 0.8 g of fiber. It carries our “High in fiber” tag.
Is cashews filling?
Barely filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 1 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) − 2 (very high energy density: 553 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 3.3 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.6 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 5.2 g of water, under 70) = −1; raised to the minimum of 1. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about cashews on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about cashews on a GLP-1 medication. “High in fiber”: a good amount of fiber, which helps keep you regular; it is easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water. “Nutritious in small servings”: a lot of nutrition in a small volume, which is practical when you eat little. “High energy density”: a lot of energy in a small volume; when your appetite is very low, a small serving can help you meet your needs. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of cashews?
We use 25 g (0.9 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 138 kcal, 4.6 g of protein, and 0.8 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Nuts, cashew nuts, raw (FDC ID 170162).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- Meta-analysisObesity Reviews (Wiley).Nishi SK, Viguiliouk E, Blanco Mejia S, et al. Are fatty nuts a weighty concern? A systematic review and meta-analysis and dose-response meta-regression of prospective cohorts and randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev. 2021;22(11):e13330. doi:10.1111/obr.13330.accessed .