The prized cashew has its origins in Portuguese, and later made its way to India, Africa and other regions thanks to Portuguese explorers. Apart from enjoying its irresistible creamy flavor, there are many other reasons why including cashews in your diet is a good idea. Cashews are rich in healthy mono-unsaturated fats and anti-oxidants that help protect the heart among many other health benefits. Cashews can be used to add a healthy crunch to salads, thicken up creamy curries, flavor and garnish desserts, or you could just grab a handful of them as is for a healthy, energy packed snack!