How many calories are in cashews?
Cashews has 155 calories per 1 oz (28 g, ~18 nuts) — that's 553 calories per 100 g, roughly 8% of a 2,000-calorie day. Most of those calories come from fat.
USDA FoodData Central · raw · FDC 170162
Calories by portion
| Portion | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz (28 g, ~18 nuts) | 155 | 5.1 g | 8.5 g | 12.3 g |
| 100 g | 553 | 18.2 g | 30.2 g | 43.9 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 157 | 5.2 g | 8.6 g | 12.4 g |
Where the calories come from
Protein 12% Carbs 21% Fat 67%
Calories computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 170162, SR Legacy). raw. The macro split uses general Atwater factors (protein and carbs ≈ 4 cal/g, fat ≈ 9 cal/g) and is approximate.
Cashews are the soft, buttery nut that disappears by the handful — which is exactly why their calories sneak up. A standard 1 oz handful (28 g, about 18 nuts) carries roughly 155 calories, and 100 g comes in at a hefty 553 calories. Per ounce that’s a shade lower than almonds or walnuts, but it’s the kind of food you grab on autopilot, and that’s where the calories hide. A measured handful is reasonable; the trouble starts when “a handful” becomes three. The reason a modest portion costs so much — and what makes cashews different from the other nuts — is in the macro split.
Where the calories come from
Most of it is fat, but cashews lean on carbohydrate more than any other common nut. Run them through the standard Atwater factors (protein and carbs ≈ 4 cal/g, fat ≈ 9 cal/g) and you get roughly 66% fat calories, about 22% carbohydrate, and 12% protein. The 43.9 g of fat per 100 g drives the density — fat carries 9 calories a gram — but the standout is the ~30.2 g of carbs per 100 g, noticeably higher than almonds or walnuts. That carb-forward profile is the creamy, almost sweet quality you taste, and it’s why cashews read a little differently on the calorie ledger: slightly less fat than other nuts, a bit more carbohydrate, similar total density. The fat itself is mostly the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind, packaged with copper, magnesium, and iron — genuinely nutritious, just dense.
Why portion control is the whole game
The discipline cashews demand is portion control, not avoidance. A measured 1 oz handful is about 155 calories of real nutrition; eat from the bag and you can clear 350–450 calories without registering one. The same softness that makes a small serving satisfying makes a large one effortless — cashews are easier to over-pour than a firmer nut precisely because they’re moreish and yielding. The reliable move is to measure once: a small cupped handful (about 18 nuts) is the right size, and portioning into a bowl rather than grazing from the package keeps cashews working as the creamy, nutrient-dense snack they are. Use them the way they’re built to be used — a topping for a stir-fry or grain bowl, or a portioned handful between meals — and lean on lighter foods for volume.
For the protein side of the picture — and why that per-100g protein number doesn’t make cashews a protein source — see protein in cashews.
Packaged nuts options, graded
Prefer something off the shelf? Here are the best-graded nuts in our catalog — each scored on our transparent Labelgrade. Check the calorie line on each label for your goal.
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Labelgrade 85/100 · 160 cal · 6 g protein
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Labelgrade 79/100 · 170 cal · 6 g protein
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in a 1 oz serving of cashews?
About 155 calories in a 1 oz handful (28 g, roughly 18 nuts), based on 553 calories per 100 g (USDA FDC 170162). That's a touch lower per ounce than almonds or walnuts, but it's still a calorie-dense snack in a portion small enough to grab without thinking.
How many calories are in cashews per 100 g or per ounce?
553 calories per 100 g, which is about 155 calories per ounce (28 g). Be careful with the per-100g figure: 100 g of cashews is about 3.5 ounces and roughly 65 nuts — far more than anyone eats as a snack.
Where do the calories in cashews come from?
Mostly fat, with cashews leaning more on carbs than other nuts. By Atwater factors, cashews are roughly 66% fat calories, about 22% carbohydrate, and 12% protein. The 43.9 g of fat per 100 g drives the density, but the ~30 g of carbs per 100 g is what sets cashews apart from almonds and walnuts (USDA FDC 170162).
Are cashews lower in calories than almonds?
Slightly, per ounce. Cashews run about 155 calories an ounce versus roughly 164 for almonds, because cashews carry a bit less fat and more carbohydrate. The difference is small — both are dense fat-and-snack foods where the portion matters far more than the tiny per-ounce gap.
Why are cashews so easy to overeat?
Because they're soft, buttery, and calorie-dense, so a measured ounce (~155 calories) quietly becomes two or three. Eat from the bag and you can clear 350–450 calories without noticing. The fix is portion control: measure a small cupped handful once instead of grazing from the package.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-18, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 170162 (Nuts, cashew nuts, raw; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises its data.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). See our methodology and the TDEE calculator to turn this into a daily target.