Cashew butter is a food spread made from raw or roasted cashews. It is rich and creamy in flavour and when stored the oils and solids separate easily requiring it to be mixed before each use. It is recommended to store the cashew butter in the refrigerator after the first use to prevent it from going rancid.
Cashew butter is high in protein, unsaturated fats and B vitamins that help to boost metabolism, increase skin and muscle tone, enhance the immune and nervous system, and promote cellular health.
In one tablespoon of unsalted cashew butter there is 94 calories, 12 percent of the daily value of fat and 8 percent of the daily value of saturated fat. However, it contains less fat than most other types of nuts. Cashew butter was among foods packaged in metal cans for U.S. Civil Defense survival kits during the Cold War.
According to the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service it is better to eat raw cashew butter due to the higher nutrient levels than the roasted variety.
Cashew butter can be incorporated into a person's daily diet by spreading on toast, adding it to smoothies or oatmeal, using it as a dip for apple slices or the base for vegan cashew nut cheese.