Cashews vs. Flaxseeds

Nutrition comparison of Cashews and Flaxseeds


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cashews versus flaxseeds (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cashews and flaxseeds:

  • Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
  • Flaxseed has 74% less sugar than cashew.
  • Flaxseed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
  • Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cashews and flaxseeds is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Cashews (Nuts, cashew nuts, raw) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cashews src
Image of Flaxseeds src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in calories. Flaxseed is very similar to flaxseed for calories - flaxseed has 534 calories per 100 grams and cashew has 553 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cashews is similar to flaxseeds for protein, carbs and fat. Cashews has a macronutrient ratio of 12:21:67 and for flaxseeds, 13:20:67 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cashews Flaxseeds
Protein 12% 13%
Carbohydrates 21% 20%
Fat 67% 67%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Flaxseeds and cashews contain similar amounts of carbs - flaxseed has 28.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and cashew has 30.2g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in dietary fiber. Flaxseed has 727% more dietary fiber than cashew - flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cashew has 3.3g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Flaxseed has 74% less sugar than cashew - flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar per 100 grams and cashew has 5.9g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in protein. Flaxseed is very similar to cashew for protein - flaxseed has 18.3g of protein per 100 grams and cashew has 18.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Cashew is high in saturated fat and flaxseed has 53% less saturated fat than cashew - flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cashew has 7.8g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Flaxseeds and cashews contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cashew has 0.5mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin E

Flaxseeds and cashews contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cashew has 0.9mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Cashew has 693% more Vitamin K than flaxseed - flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cashew has 34.1ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Flaxseed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Both cashews and flaxseeds contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Cashews Flaxseeds
Thiamin 0.423 MG 1.644 MG
Riboflavin 0.058 MG 0.161 MG
Niacin 1.062 MG 3.08 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.864 MG 0.985 MG
Vitamin B6 0.417 MG 0.473 MG
Folate 25 UG 87 UG

Minerals

calcium

Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium and it has 589% more calcium than cashew - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium per 100 grams and cashew has 37mg of calcium.

iron

Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in iron. Cashew has 17% more iron than flaxseed - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron per 100 grams and cashew has 6.7mg of iron.

potassium

Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 23% more potassium than cashew - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium per 100 grams and cashew has 660mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Cashews Flaxseeds
lutein + zeaxanthin 22 UG 651 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cashew per 100 grams.

Cashews Flaxseeds
alpha linoleic acid 0.062 G 22.813 G
Total 0.062 G 22.813 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cashews and flaxseeds contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Cashews Flaxseeds
other omega 6 ~ 0.007 G
linoleic acid 7.782 G 5.903 G
Total 7.782 G 5.91 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Cashews or Flaxseeds .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Cashews (Nuts, cashew nuts, raw) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) .

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FAQ

Does flaxseeds or cashews contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in calories. Flaxseed is quite similar to flaxseed for calories - flaxseed has 534 calories in 100g and cashew has 553 calories.

Does flaxseeds or cashews contain more calcium?
Flaxseed is a rich source of calcium and it has 590% more calcium than cashew - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium in 100 grams and cashew has 37mg of calcium.

Does flaxseeds or cashews contain more iron?
Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in iron. Cashew has 20% more iron than flaxseed - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron in 100 grams and cashew has 6.7mg of iron.

Does flaxseeds or cashews contain more potassium?
Both flaxseeds and cashews are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 20% more potassium than cashew - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium in 100 grams and cashew has 660mg of potassium.