How many calories and how much protein do freeze-dried cashews carry, and which claims fit your pack?
Per 100 g, freeze-dried cashews carry about 570 kcal, 45 g fat, 19 g protein and 31 g carbohydrate, with 3 g fibre and no added sugar or salt. A 28 g serving holds about 160 kcal and 8 g net carbohydrate. On an EU pack the values support “high unsaturated fat”, “source of protein” and “high” magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc and iron; in the US, plain kernels meet FDA’s updated “healthy” criteria for nuts.
That gives a brand two stories in one ingredient. The first is the eating experience: an ivory-white kernel, light in the hand, that breaks with a soft crack and melts into a clean, mildly sweet cashew taste, with no oil, salt or roasting and no greasy film on the fingers. The second is a short, strong nutrition panel with one ingredient on the label: cashews. The tables below are typical values for FruitBuys freeze-dried cashew nuts, with the claims they support by market.
Nutrition per 100 g, per 28 g and per 30 g
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | % DV (100 g)* | Per 28 g (1 oz) | Per 30 g (US RACC for nuts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 570 kcal | 160 kcal | 171 kcal | |
| Total fat | 45 g | 58% | 12.6 g | 13.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 8 g | 40% | 2.2 g | 2.4 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 10 mg | 1% | 3 mg | 3 mg |
| Potassium | 680 mg | 14% | 190 mg | 204 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 31 g | 11% | 8.7 g | 9.3 g |
| Dietary fibre | 3 g | 12% | 0.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Total sugars | 6 g (0 g added) | 1.7 g | 1.8 g | |
| Protein | 19 g | 29% | 5.3 g | 5.7 g |
| Magnesium | ~300 mg | 84 mg | 90 mg | |
| Phosphorus | ~600 mg | 168 mg | 180 mg | |
| Iron | ~6.8 mg | 1.9 mg | 2.0 mg | |
| Zinc | ~5.9 mg | 1.7 mg | 1.8 mg | |
| Copper | ~2.2 mg | 0.62 mg | 0.66 mg |
% DV based on a 2,000 kcal diet (FDA 2016 Daily Values). Typical values for 100% freeze-dried cashew kernels; natural variation by origin, season and grade applies. Lot nutrition panel available for label artwork.
Per 100 g, the freeze-dried kernel reads slightly higher than an ordinary raw cashew because it holds less water: it is released at 2–4% moisture, against about 5% for a commercial kernel. The cashew itself is unchanged; the drying simply concentrates it by a few percent.
Why does the EU label show about 600 kcal?
Because the EU and the US convert nutrients to energy differently. US values commonly use food-specific factors for nuts, which give 570 kcal per 100 g. An EU label must use the fixed factors in the Food Information to Consumers rules: 37 kJ per gram of fat, 17 kJ per gram of protein and available carbohydrate, and 8 kJ per gram of fibre. On the same kernel that gives about 2,490 kJ / 600 kcal per 100 g.
Neither figure is wrong; each is right for its market. Brief your artwork team on this before they copy a US panel onto an EU pack, and ask for the lot panel in the format of the market you sell into.
Which EU nutrition claims can your pack carry?
Measured per 100 g against the conditions of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, freeze-dried cashews meet these claims:
| Claim | EU condition | Freeze-dried cashew |
|---|---|---|
| High unsaturated fat | ≥70% of fatty acids unsaturated and >20% of energy | ~80% of fatty acids unsaturated |
| High monounsaturated fat | ≥45% of fatty acids monounsaturated and >20% of energy | ~60% of fatty acids, ~38% of energy |
| Source of protein | ≥12% of energy from protein | About 13% |
| Source of fibre | ≥3 g per 100 g | About 3.4 g |
| High magnesium | ≥30% NRV per 100 g | ~80% NRV |
| High phosphorus | ≥30% NRV | ~87% NRV |
| High copper | ≥30% NRV | ~225% NRV |
| High zinc | ≥30% NRV | ~59% NRV |
| High iron | ≥30% NRV | ~49% NRV |
| No added sugars | No added mono- or disaccharides | Met (one ingredient); the pack must also state “contains naturally occurring sugars” |
Three claims are not available: “high protein” (needs 20% of energy), “high fibre” (needs 6 g) and “low fat”.
A food high in unsaturated fat may also carry an authorised health claim from Regulation (EU) No 432/2012: “Replacing saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.” Use that wording as written. It describes a dietary swap, so keep it away from any suggestion that the cashews themselves lower cholesterol.
What can a US label say?
FDA “healthy” claim. Under FDA’s updated rule (21 CFR 101.65), nuts and seeds with no added ingredients except water automatically qualify for the “healthy” claim. Plain freeze-dried cashew kernels fall in that group: the water used for conditioning is removed in drying, and nothing else is added. Your label review confirms the final claim, and compliance with the updated rule is required from 25 February 2028. Salted, seasoned or sweetened versions are judged against limits per serving for added sugar, sodium and saturated fat; how to design those SKUs is covered in freeze-dried fruit and cashew mixes.
Mineral content claims. At the 30 g reference amount for nuts, freeze-dried cashews reach “excellent source” level for magnesium and copper (about 21% and 73% DV), and “good source” level for phosphorus, zinc and iron (about 14%, 16% and 11% DV). That is five mineral claims from one ingredient, and the lot panel we arrange sets the final figures on your pack.
Protein. Cashew brings 5.7 g of plant protein per 30 g. Its quality-corrected value (PDCAAS about 0.77, limited by lysine) puts it at roughly 9% DV per serving, just under the 10% for a “good source of protein” claim on its own; the 29% DV in the 100 g table uses the same correction. In a bar, that is easy to build on: pair freeze-dried cashew dice with pea or soy protein crisps, which are rich in the lysine cashew lacks, and claim protein at product level. For a US retail label, the lot panel gives the measured PDCAAS.
Allergen. Cashew is a tree nut and must be declared as a major allergen.
Fat profile, glycaemic index and wellness positioning
About 80% of the fat in cashew is unsaturated, mainly oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that olive oil is known for. That supports heart-friendly positioning in consumer language, as long as the pack makes no disease claim.
Cashews are a naturally low-GI nut; published values from the University of Sydney GI database sit at about 22–25. These are general cashew values, not a test on this product, so present them as such. Together with 19 g plant protein per 100 g, fibre and minerals, they fit active, better-for-you snacking. The product is vegan and naturally gluten-free.
Do freeze-dried cashews fit low-carb and keto products?
Yes, and they solve a texture problem keto snacks often have. A 28 g portion carries about 8.7 g carbohydrate and 0.8 g fibre, so roughly 8 g net carbohydrate, plus 12.6 g of mostly monounsaturated fat. Because the kernel is neither fried nor roasted, it brings a crisp, buttery bite without frying oil, salt or the heavy, oily finish that roasted nuts leave on the fingers. Formulators use it as the crunch in keto bars, fat-bomb clusters and low-carb trail mixes, with the carb allowance set per serving.
“Keto-friendly” and “low-carb” are not defined nutrient claims in the EU or under FDA rules, so the front-of-pack wording sits with your label team; the per-serving data and the lot panel give them what they need.
Where cashew alone will not get you there. If your pack needs a “high protein” claim, cashew’s 13% of energy from protein will not reach the 20% threshold on its own. Use freeze-dried cashew for the bite, flavour and fat profile inside a higher-protein formula, and claim at product level. The comparison with roasted and raw cashews, including oil and processing, is in can you freeze-dry nuts.
How do you get numbers you can print?
The tables on this page are typical values for planning recipes and claims. For artwork, we arrange an independent nutrition panel in FDA or EU format on your commercial lot, at an accredited laboratory of your choice, such as Eurofins or SGS in Vietnam. It is available for each lot on request, before the container is sealed. It gives your label the exact lot you will sell, including the protein quality value a US label needs.
Order the panel when you confirm the first container, and it arrives with the release COA. Consumer questions about cashews, from portion size to allergies, are answered in side effects of cashew nuts.
Ask for the spec and a sample
Request the specification sheet with typical nutrition, and a sample of the grade you are formulating with. Samples are ready in 3–5 working days; OEM and private label start at 500 kg. Email [email protected] or message WhatsApp Export +84 919 739 589.
FAQ
How many calories are in freeze-dried cashews?
About 570 kcal per 100 g on a US basis, or about 600 kcal (2,490 kJ) on an EU label, and about 160 kcal per 28 g serving.
How much protein do freeze-dried cashews have?
About 19 g per 100 g and 5.3 g per 28 g. Cashew protein is limited by lysine, so for a US label the quality-corrected value from a lot panel is used.
Are freeze-dried cashews keto?
They can fit a keto or low-carb product per serving: a 28 g portion has about 8 g net carbohydrate. Whether to print “keto” is a decision for your label team.
Can freeze-dried cashews be labelled “healthy” in the US?
Plain kernels with no added ingredients qualify under FDA’s updated “healthy” criteria for nuts and seeds. Your label review confirms the final claim; compliance with the new rule is required from 25 February 2028.
Do freeze-dried cashews contain added sugar, salt or oil?
No. The only ingredient is cashews. The 6 g sugars per 100 g are the nut’s own.
Are freeze-dried cashews gluten-free and vegan?
Yes, both. Cashew is a tree nut, so declare it as an allergen.
Can I print the values on this page on my pack?
Use them for planning. For artwork, order a nutrition panel in FDA or EU format on your commercial lot so the label matches the product you sell.
