Among the whole-nut products compared here, natural cashews have the lowest fat figures, but even these are far above the 3g-per-100g threshold for a low-fat solid-food claim listed by legislation.gov.uk. If you still want a nut snack, compare fat and calories per 100g, check salt on the exact pack and decide how much you will serve; a lower-fat choice among nuts is not necessarily a low-fat food.
If your eating plan allows flexibility, compare fat and calories per 100g before choosing a portion. The natural cashews in the Marks & Spencer and ASDA examples have lower fat figures than the other whole-nut products compared here, but neither is a low-fat food.
If salt or added oil matters to your choice, compare a plain product with the exact flavoured version. ASDA’s natural and roasted-and-salted cashews, for example, have different ingredients and nutrition values per 100g.
Do not assume a relatively lower-fat nut will fit a strict limit. Ask your clinician how the fat in a proposed portion fits your individual instructions rather than using a product comparison as dietary advice.
Compare packs on the same 100g basis first, then look at the serving you would actually eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and calories | Compare fat in grams and energy in kcal per 100g. The low-fat solid-food claim threshold listed by legislation.gov.uk is 3g fat per 100g; a product with less fat than another nut can still exceed it. | I want to distinguish a relatively lower-fat nut from a food that qualifies for a low-fat claim, without assuming that either is low in calories. |
| Portion | Check the labelled serving weight in grams, then calculate your choice from the pack’s figures if needed. Do not compare serving figures from packs with different serving sizes as though they refer to the same amount. | A small serving might fit my plan, so I need to decide the amount before comparing what it contributes. |
| Salt and ingredients | Read the ingredients for added oil and salt; compare salt and fat per 100g with a plain version. ASDA Groceries lists 0.04g salt and 48g fat per 100g for its natural cashews, versus 1.0g salt and 51g fat for its roasted-and-salted cashews. | I like savoury nuts, but I want to see what changes when the recipe is seasoned rather than assuming every cashew product is alike. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredients, allergen declaration and possible cross-contact warnings for the exact product. The Food Standards Agency distinguishes peanuts, which are legumes, from tree nuts such as cashews. | When buying for someone with an allergy, I need the warnings on the pack I am purchasing, not an assumption based on the nut’s name. |
Marks & Spencer lists 43.8g fat per 100g for its Natural Cashews, while ASDA lists 48g for its plain cashews. Neither figure is close to the 3g-per-100g low-fat claim threshold listed by legislation.gov.uk.
Use the nutrition table to check fat per 100g, then check calories and the portion you intend to serve. Protein or fibre wording does not answer the fat question.
A figure for a 25g serving cannot be compared directly with one for 30g. A smaller stated serving can make the number on the front of a pack look lower without changing the food.
Compare per-100g values first, then use each pack’s serving weight to assess your intended amount.
ASDA Groceries lists rapeseed oil and salt in its Roasted & Salted Cashews. That product has 51g fat, 622kcal and 1.0g salt per 100g, compared with 48g fat, 583kcal and 0.04g salt for ASDA Cashews.
Check both the ingredients and nutrition panel of the exact recipe you are considering.
Knowing that a product contains cashews or peanuts does not tell you everything on its current allergen and cross-contact statement.
If an allergy is involved, read the physical pack each time and follow the individual advice you have been given by your clinician.
One natural-cashew reference for comparing fat per 100g.
A way to compare plain and roasted-and-salted cashews from the same retailer.
An unsalted mixed-nut reference when variety matters alongside salt.
A dry-roasted peanut reference for checking a seasoned snack against plain nuts.
These options include whole cashews and a chopped nut mix, followed by fruit-and-nut or peanut bars. The bars are different snacks from a portion of whole nuts, so compare their labels separately rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Image unavailable
A whole-cashew option if you want nuts rather than a bar. Check fat, calories and salt per 100g on the pack, then decide how much to serve.
Image unavailable
Another whole-cashew option for comparing packs on a per-100g basis. Check the current nutrition and allergen labels before choosing a portion.
Image unavailable
A chopped mix if you prefer several nut types or want a topping. Compare its fat and calories per 100g with the cashews; a mixed-nut name alone does not establish either figure.
Image unavailable
A fruit-and-nut bar rather than a serving of whole nuts. Compare the nutrition table per 100g and per 35g bar, including sugars, before using it as an alternative snack.
Image unavailable
A peanut-and-chocolate bar rather than plain nuts. Check its ingredients and nutrition per 100g and per 40g bar instead of assuming the word “protein” answers the fat or calorie question.
No. The natural cashews listed by Marks & Spencer and ASDA contain 43.8g and 48g fat per 100g respectively. Both exceed the 3g-per-100g low-fat solid-food claim threshold listed by legislation.gov.uk; “lower than another nut” is a different statement from “low fat”.
M&S Natural Cashews have the lowest figure in this comparison at 43.8g fat per 100g, according to Marks & Spencer. ASDA Cashews and KP Dry Roasted Peanuts each list 48g, while Sainsbury’s Unsalted Mixed Nuts list 59.7g. These are figures for specific products, not a recommendation for a prescribed diet.
No. “Unsalted” does not describe fat or energy content. Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.01g salt per 25g serving for its Unsalted Mixed Nuts, alongside 59.7g fat and 660kcal per 100g.
It does for the ASDA cashews compared here: ASDA Groceries lists 48g fat, 583kcal and 0.04g salt per 100g for plain Cashews, versus 51g fat, 622kcal and 1.0g salt for Roasted & Salted Cashews containing rapeseed oil and salt. Check each recipe rather than assuming all roasted nuts have the same values.
No. The Food Standards Agency distinguishes tree nuts from peanuts, which are legumes, but a category name cannot establish whether an individual product is suitable. Read the current physical pack’s ingredients, allergen declaration and possible cross-contact warnings, and follow individual clinical advice.