Overview
About Cashews
Blended into cashew cream, dairy-free cheese or a curry base, cashews turn a whole recipe into a trigger.
They are high in oxalate, high in nickel, high in lectins and high FODMAP from their GOS, and because vegan cooking uses a full cup soaked and blended, the dose gets large fast. A splash of cashew cream can push an otherwise gentle dish over the line even when the rest of the plate is clean.
Sensitivities
How Cashews scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- High in oxalate, and cashew-based creams and cheeses use a big blended portion, so the oxalate dose adds up quickly
- High in GOS, which makes a creamy sauce a hidden FODMAP source in an otherwise low-FODMAP meal
- High in nickel and lectins, both worth watching if you react to those
- Truly raw cashews are never sold, the shell holds urushiol (the poison-ivy compound), so shop cashews are always steamed
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Cashews
Is cashew cream a hidden trigger?
Often, yes. Cashews are high in oxalate and GOS, and cashew cream, cheese and curry bases use a large blended portion, so a creamy vegan dish can carry a much bigger dose than a few snack nuts. If a plant-based meal keeps bothering you, check whether a cashew sauce is behind it.
What can I use instead of cashews for a vegan cream sauce?
Sunflower seeds blend into a smooth cream and are lower FODMAP and lower in oxalate than cashews, and tinned coconut milk gives you a creamy base with no nuts at all. Pecans work for richer, nuttier sauces and are lower in oxalate and lectins too.
Are cashews high in oxalate?
Yes, cashews are graded high in oxalate, which matters most when they are blended into cream or cheese because the portion is large. If you are managing kidney stones, a sunflower-seed or coconut-milk base is lower in oxalate.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.