WHY WE AVOID IT:

All nuts contain fat, but cashews are particularly high in saturated fats, and that still scares a lot of people who think they’ll get high cholesterol and die of cardiovascular disease.

WHY WE SHOULD EAT IT:

While it’s true that cashews are high in calories and saturated fats, they actually contain less total fat than most other nuts. The majority of the fats in cashews, as with all nuts, are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Roasted cashews are particularly rich in minerals, especially copper, required for the production of hemoglobin, collagen, elastin and proper nerve function. The nut also contains a class of cancer-fighting compounds called proanthocyanidins that have shown to reduce colon cancer risk. If you’re still concerned that you’ll get fat, a study found that people who eat nuts twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who rarely ate them. Still, it’s easy to overdo it and pig out on them, which could stall any fat loss goals, so eat them in moderation.