There’s not one aspect of brain functioning that B vitamins aren’t involved in. For this reason, researchers from a 2016 scientific review published in Nutrients point out that people in under-resourced parts of the world who lack a sufficient amount of B vitamins in their diet are more susceptible to reduced brain functioning. Consuming cashews on a regular basis is one way to ensure we’re getting enough B vitamins through food sources.
Additionally, roasted cashews may hold protective properties against neurological damage and cognitive side effects associated with the chemotherapy treatment drug cisplatin, according to a 2022 rat study published in Heliyon. Patient side effects noted in association with chemotherapy treatment include decreased attention, reduced executive functioning, and memory impairment. Cisplatin, in particular, has been linked with decreased brain capacity in rodents. The study findings revealed, however, that a cashew-dense diet protected against neuron damage in the brains of rats treated with cisplatin.
