Cashews calories come to 161 for a 1 oz (28 g) serving of shelled, unsalted nuts and 574 per 100 g. The thing to notice is how fast the total climbs: fat supplies 68% of the energy, so a full cup reaches 746 calories, or 37% of a 2,000-calorie daily value.
161kcal
1 ounce · 28 g, shelled, unsalted
10%protein
4.3 gProtein
9 gCarbs
13 gFat
How to burn off 161 kcal
—Walking, brisk
—Jogging
—Cycling, moderate
—Swimming
Skip the math. BodyPal counts these calories from your steps and workouts automatically.
Nutrition facts
Shelled, unsalted · per 28 g
Calories
161 kcal
Protein
4.3 g
Carbohydrate
9.2 g
Fat
13 g
Saturated fat
2.6 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
4 mg
Potassium
158 mg
Iron
1.7 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central
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Verified nutrition data
Numbers on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food composition database, and from manufacturer labels where a branded product is named. Last verified September 2026. How we verify our data →
Cashews: calories, protein and sodium by serving
Percent of daily value uses the FDA reference of 2,000 kcal a day.
Serving
kcal
Protein
Carbs
Fat
Sodium
% DV kcal
1 oz (28 g)
161
4.3 g
9.2 g
13 g
4 mg
8%
1 cup (130 g)
746
19.9 g
42.5 g
60.3 g
21 mg
37%
Snack pack (50 g)
287
7.7 g
16.3 g
23.2 g
8 mg
14%
100 g
574
15.3 g
32.7 g
46.4 g
16 mg
29%
3 × 1 oz (28 g)
482
12.9 g
13 mg
5 × 1 oz (28 g)
804
21.4 g
22 mg
A cup of cashews is a 746-calorie decision
The standard 1 oz (28 g) serving holds 161 calories, about 8% of a 2,000-calorie day. That is a small handful, and it is the only cashew portion that behaves like a light snack. Everything bigger adds up quickly because the nuts are dense and easy to eat without counting.
A 50 g snack pack lands at 287 calories, 14% of the daily value. Two ounces (56 g) come to 321, three ounces (84 g) to 482, and five ounces (140 g) to 804. A full cup of 130 g sits at 746 calories, which is close to a full meal for many people and 37% of the reference day.
The practical move is to portion before you eat. Pour 28 g into a small bowl instead of eating from the bag or the jar. If you snap a photo of the bowl, BodyPal can log the cashews for you, but the bowl does the real work: it caps the serving at 161 calories instead of letting it drift toward 482.
Fat is two thirds of every cashew
Per 100 g, cashews carry 46.4 g of fat, 32.7 g of carbohydrate and 15.3 g of protein. Converted to energy, fat supplies 68% of the calories, carbs 21% and protein just 10%. That split explains the high total: fat is the most energy-dense macro, and cashews are mostly fat.
Saturated fat is 9.2 g per 100 g, and a 1 oz serving holds 13 g of total fat. Carbs are higher than in many nuts, which gives cashews their soft, slightly sweet bite, yet sugars stay modest at 5 g per 100 g, or 1.4 g per ounce. Fiber is 3 g per 100 g and 0.8 g per ounce, so cashews are not a strong fiber source.
Protein is useful but secondary. An ounce gives 4.3 g, 9% of the daily value, and even a full cup reaches only 19.9 g alongside 746 calories. Treat cashews as a fat source that happens to bring some protein, not the other way around.
Unsalted cashews barely register on sodium
The numbers on this page are for shelled, unsalted cashews, matched to the USDA row "Cashews, NFS". Sodium is 16 mg per 100 g and 4 mg per ounce, which rounds to 0% of the 2,300 mg daily value. Even five ounces add only 22 mg.
That changes once salt goes on. Shelves are full of salted options such as Planters Salted Cashews and Planters Lightly Salted Whole Cashews, and their sodium depends on the seasoning, not the nut. If you watch sodium, read the label on the bag or pick an unsalted version like Kirkland Signature Whole Fancy Unsalted Cashews or Setton Farms Raw Cashews.
Potassium runs the other way. Cashews hold 565 mg per 100 g, set against a daily reference of 4,700 mg. Calories stay the main story either way, because salting changes sodium but leaves the 161 calories per ounce essentially where they are.
Cashews work best as a measured add-on
Cashews earn their place when they add texture and richness to food that is otherwise light. A 1 oz serving scattered over a vegetable stir-fry, a grain bowl or a salad brings 161 calories and a creamy crunch without turning the dish heavy. Half that amount still changes the dish.
As a standalone snack, pair them with something that has volume and water, such as fruit or raw vegetables. The cashews bring fat and some protein, the produce brings bulk and fiber, and the combination tends to feel more filling than a larger pile of nuts alone.
Where people get caught is the mindless handful: trail mix, a bowl on the counter, cashews eaten during a movie. Those are the moments a 287-calorie snack pack becomes the norm. Decide the portion first, then enjoy it.
How does cashews compare?
Here is how cashews stack up against almonds, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds, per 100 g and per usual 1 oz (28 g) serving.
Verdict: For the fewest calories per ounce, cashews at 161 edge out sunflower seeds at 163 and almonds at 167, while macadamia nuts at 200 are the heaviest choice. If protein matters more, almonds with 21 g per 100 g beat cashews at 15.3 g for nearly the same calories.
Most popular cashews brands in the United States
Ranked by popularity in the BodyPal database
# Productkcal / 100 g
1Planters Salted Cashews1 pack · 42 g571 kcal
2Planters Deluxe Salted Whole Cashews1 oz · 28 g607 kcal
3Planters Lightly Salted Whole Cashews1 oz · 28 g571 kcal
4Kirkland Signature Whole Fancy Cashews1 oz · 28 g571 kcal
Raw and roasted cashews weigh and read almost the same on a label, so these products land close to the 574 calories per 100 g above. Source: manufacturer labels / USDA FoodData Central.
Cashews FAQs
How many calories are in an ounce of cashews?
A 1 oz portion (28 g) has 161 calories. Cashews are 574 calories per 100 g.
Are cashews good for weight loss?
An ounce of cashews is 161 calories with 4.3 g protein, 13.0 g fat and 9.2 g carbs, while a full cup is 746 calories.
Cashews vs almonds: which has fewer calories?
Cashews have 574 calories per 100 g and almonds 598, so an ounce is 161 calories against 167 for almonds.
How much protein is in cashews?
Cashews have 15.3 g of protein per 100 g, which is 4.3 g in a 1 oz portion (28 g) and 19.9 g in a cup (130 g).
How many calories are in a cup of cashews?
A cup of cashews (130 g) has 746 calories, 37% of a 2,000-calorie daily value. It also carries 60.3 g of fat and 19.9 g of protein, so it is closer to a meal than a snack.
How many calories are in 100 g of cashews?
100 g of shelled, unsalted cashews has 574 calories. That amount provides 46.4 g of fat, 32.7 g of carbohydrate and 15.3 g of protein, with fat supplying 68% of the energy.
How many calories are in a snack pack of cashews?
A 50 g snack pack of cashews has 287 calories, 14% of the daily value. It provides 7.7 g of protein and 23.2 g of fat, so it is noticeably larger than a 1 oz serving.
Are cashews high in sugar?
No. Cashews have 5 g of sugars per 100 g and 1.4 g per 1 oz serving. Their carbs total 32.7 g per 100 g, but most of the calories, 68%, come from fat.
Do cashews have cholesterol?
Cashews have 0 mg of cholesterol per 100 g. They do contain 9.2 g of saturated fat per 100 g, which is the fat row worth noting if you track it.
