Lunch on the go đ¤ Homemade raw veggie crackers, fermented cashew cheese, sprouts, and dried tomatoes marinated in oil.
Two of these "sandwiches" and I was very satisfied for the workday. No fatigue after the meal, instead super energized đđ
#rawvegan #vegan #inspiration #healthy #meal #homemade
Eeeee Iâd stay away from the cashews!
Why?!? Actually itâs a mix of cashew and sunflower seedsâŚsoaked and sprouted.
Cashews are one of the worst nuts you could consume. Very high PUFAs. The raw cashew seed is actually poisonous because its outer shell contains urushiol, the same substance found in poison ivy. Nature literally saying âdo not eat thisâ
First of all, cashews arenât technically nuts. Theyâre seeds from the cashew apple, Botanically, theyâre classified as drupes â not true nuts â but are commonly grouped with nuts due to culinary use.
Now, regarding the common claim that theyâre âone of the worst nutsâ because of PUFAs:
Cashews are actually relatively low in PUFAs compared to many other nuts. About 62% of their fat is monounsaturated (mostly oleic acid, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil), 18% is saturated, and only about 20% is polyunsaturated. Thatâs much lower than, say, walnuts, which are very high in omega-6 PUFAs. So if youâre avoiding high PUFA content for dietary reasons, cashews are far from the worst offender.
As for the urushiol concern â yes, raw cashew shells contain urushiol.
The danger here is for workers during the processing stage, not for consumers eating shelled, treated cashews.
Itâs also worth noting that many plants contain natural defense chemicals â so-called anti-nutrients â but that doesnât automatically make them harmful. Humans have been eating plant foods containing things like lectins, phytates, and oxalates for millennia. Context and preparation matter. soaking and fermenting significantly reduces most of these compounds.
Itâs important to approach these discussions with nuance, not fear-based claims taken out of contextâŚ
Eat em up, enjoy!
Oh yesâŚI am enjoying my creations đĽ°
Btw:
If nuts and seeds are exposed to high temperatures and with prolonged heating, the unsaturated fats can begin to oxidize. This means the fats become unstable and can break down into harmful compounds such as oxidized fats or even small amounts of trans fats. These altered fats are considered pro-inflammatory and potentially harmful to health đ
