How many carbs are in cashews?

Cashews break the usual nut rule: they’re the most carb-forward nut on the shelf. A 1 oz serving (28 g, about 18 nuts) carries roughly 8.5 g of total carbohydrate — that’s 30.2 g per 100 g, noticeably above almonds or walnuts. And because cashews are low in fiber for a nut, only about 0.9 g per ounce, very little of that total gets subtracted: net carbs land around 7.6 g an ounce. That combination — high total carbs, low fiber — is what separates cashews from the rest of the bowl and what makes them the trickiest nut for low-carb eating.

Why the net carbs stay high

Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber, and cashews work against you on both terms. Their total is the highest of the common nuts at ~8.5 g per ounce, and their fiber is among the lowest, so the subtraction barely moves the number — you go from 8.5 g down to about 7.6 g net, not the deep discount fiber gives a food like almonds. The make-up explains it: cashews are naturally starchier and slightly sweeter than tree nuts, carrying some starch and about 1.7 g of sugar per ounce (5.9 g per 100 g), with less fat than almonds or walnuts. That higher-carb, lower-fat profile is the same thing that gives cashews their soft, buttery, almost creamy texture — the trade-off you taste is also the trade-off on the carb line.

The keto and low-carb verdict

Cashews are the least keto-friendly common nut, though they’re not off-limits in a measured portion. At ~7.6 g net carbs per ounce, two handfuls would eat roughly three-quarters of a strict 20 g keto budget — a real cost when other nuts barely register. By contrast, almonds (~2.5 g net per oz), pecans, macadamias, and walnuts are far lower and the safer keto reaches; their higher fiber and lower carbs do the work cashews can’t. The practical move on a low-carb plan is to treat cashews as an occasional, carefully portioned nut rather than a free snack — measure a single ounce, log the ~7.6 g, and lean on the lower-carb nuts when you want to graze. Off keto, cashews’ carbs are perfectly fine; it’s specifically the net-carb math where they fall behind.

Cashews’ carbs are only part of the story — people often want the protein too. For why that per-100g protein figure doesn’t make cashews a protein source, see protein in cashews. And for any flavored or honey-roasted cashews, check the label’s own carb and sugar lines, since coatings add both.