My husband loves his cashews. He likes them with some salt and eats them with dates for snacking, but he also loves the creamy taste of these raw, unsalted cashews. He minces them to use in his custom brownie recipe and they come out so tasty! They've become a key ingredient in this family favorite dessert. Though I don't see anything to indicate that they're organic or organically grown, the quality is good, all crunchy and full of flavor with no questionable or rancid nuts in the package. The price is a fair value for the package size, and they keep well in the frig once they've been opened. I just learned that their health benefits are unusual - for instance, they are rich in branched chain amino acids, three types of protein that your muscles need greater amounts of when recovering from strenuous exercise. So even though cashews are not the highest protein nut, their amino acid profile packs a potent concentration of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Pistachios and almonds have more protein, but cashews still offer 5.2 grams of protein per serving...and at a much more reasonable price. They are an ideal food for ketogenic and low carb diets with just 9 grams of carbs in one ounce of nuts. Per ounce, cashews offer 10% of the daily value for iron, 11% for zinc, and 20% for magnesium, as well as 12% of the daily value for vitamin K. The fat content in cashews is 18% saturated. 73% is in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are healthier for your heart and may lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure while boosting HDL. Cashew milk offers more protein than hemp milk and macadamia milk. And studies indicate that they might also be good for Alzheimer's (good results have been seen in mice) and protection from brain injury. And luckily, since my husband can't be stopped from sharing them with our little dog, they are safe for our canine friends, too, though cashew butter might be better to eliminate possible choking hazards. I have purchased other nuts (and dried fruits) offered by Bergin and again, while I don't think they are organic, they are still very high quality nuts for a reasonable price. Overall, I feel this purchase was a winner and I will definitely be getting more when this bag is polished off!
