Cashew nuts are a popular snack choice and are growing in popularity as a plant-based dairy alternative. So you might be asking, are cashews low fodmap?
In this article we’ll look in detail at the FODMAP content of cashews, including cashew milk, cashew cheese and cashew nut butter.
What are cashews?
While often referred to as a nut, cashews are actually technically a seed. However, as they have the same chemical composition as other tree nuts they are officially classified as nuts (1).
That bit of trivia aside, consumption of nuts has been linked to a whole host of health benefits – including improved cardiovascular and cancer outcomes (2).
Nuts in general are rich in polyphenols and prebiotic fibers which have also been linked to improvements in the health of our gut health (3).
Are cashews good for gut health?
As eating nuts is linked with positive gut health outcomes, it looks likely that cashew nuts are good for your gut health (3, 4).
A small study in birds under lab conditions specifically looking at cashews showed an increase in specific markers which are linked with good gut health (5).
Although your gut is not the same as a bird’s gut, these results do highlight a potential area in which cashew nuts could benefit gut health.
Are cashews low FODMAP?
Raw cashew nuts are not low FODMAP according to the Monash Low FODMAP App. This is because they contain high levels of the FODMAPs GOS and fructans.
However, activated cashews do have a low FODMAP serving size of 15g – around 10 cashews.
Activated cashews are cashews which have been soaked in water or salt water before eating (6, 7).
Soaking cashews as above reduces the FODMAP content of cashews – meaning that these ‘activated’ cashews do have a low FODMAP serving size.
This is because activating cashews causes FODMAPs to leach out of the cashews and into the soaking water. Remember to make sure to rinse them thoroughly before you enjoy them (8).
Which nuts are low FODMAP?
While raw cashews are not low FODMAP, plenty of other nuts do have low FODMAP serving sizes.
These include:
- Macadamia nuts
- Pecan nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Brazil nuts (6)
Check your Monash app for up to date low FODMAP serving sizes of these nuts.
Be sure to check out our in-depth article which covers which nuts you can have on the low FODMAP diet.
Is cashew milk low FODMAP?
Cashew milk is not currently listed on the Monash app, and whether cashew milk is low FODMAP will depend on how many cashews were used to make it.
As different companies may use different amounts of cashews in their milk, it’s best avoided during the restriction phase of the low FODMAP diet.
Cashew butter, cashew yoghurt and cashew cheese are also not listed as being low FODMAP by Monash (6) and so are also best avoided.
Some good low FODMAP plant milk alternatives include:
Make sure to check the label to ensure that there aren’t any added high-FODMAP ingredients in your plant milk.
It’s also important to pick plant milks that are fortified with calcium and other vitamins and minerals which you might be getting less of on a low FODMAP diet (9).
Monash has an informative article on low FODMAP plant-based milks which outlines some alternatives to cashew milk.
Cashew cheese isn’t listed as low FODMAP either. Many plant-based cheese alternatives are made from cashew nuts and so, as always, remember to check the label.
Summary
Unfortunately, raw cashew nuts are not low FODMAP. Therefore it’s best to avoid raw cashews when following the restriction phase of the low FODMAP diet.
However, ‘activating’ cashews by soaking in either water or salt water can reduce their FODMAP content and so activated cashews are classed as low FODMAP in small amounts (6).
This means that you can eat around 10 activated cashew nuts in one serving on the low FODMAP diet.
Plant-based alternatives like cashew cheese, cashew milk and cashew yogurt are best avoided on the low FODMAP diet.
Low FODMAP nuts have been linked to improvements in gut health and so are great to include in your diet. Even if you’re not having cashews, there are plenty of others to choose from.
Everyone experiences IBS differently. This is why it’s important to follow the low FODMAP diet through all of the reintroduction phases.
Once you’ve reintroduced foods and highlighted which foods are your triggers, you may want to start eating cashews again at a level that’s comfortable for you.
I am a Registered Dietitian with a decade of diverse experience in dietetics, spanning clinical, public health (both pediatric and adult), community, and private practice settings. I hold a special certification in FODMAP training from Monash University, with a keen focus on IBS and gut health.
As a mother, I’ve cultivated a unique interest in women’s and family health. Particularly in the interaction between our gut and the many other nutritional concerns you may encounter while striving to provide the best for your family.
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