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Introduction
*The cashew is the name of the tree Anacardium occidentale and also its seed, cashew nut.
*Although a nut in culinary sense, in the botanical sense the fruit of the cashew is a seed.
*The seed is surrounded by a double shell containing a caustic phenolic resin, urushiol, which a potent skin irritant toxin that can cause dermatits in hypersensitive people.
*The “raw cashew nuts” that we get are “raw” in the sense they are not roasted and/or salted but they are not really raw, as they are heat processed, which includes steaming at a high temperature to open the toxic shell.
*The raw cashews are much sweeter and tastier than their cooked counterparts.
*The cashew nuts should be stored in clean, dry, airtight containers in a cool, dry place. If processed and stored properly, the cashew nuts keep for a year or longer.
*The red, juicy fruit, generally called cashew apple is botanically the pseudo fruit and is formed from the peduncle of the flower. It is sweet in taste and can be eaten raw when fresh.
*Number of cashew nuts per serving is 18.
Are they raw?
Yes and No.
*Yes, if picked fresh or if it says raw or sundried on the package.
*No, because most of the cashew nuts at the supermarket are roasted and salted. Make sure you read the label.
Health Benefits
1. They have a high fat content but eaten in smaller quantities, they are a highly nutritious food.
2. They have good amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for the heart.
3. Like all nuts, they are an excellent source of protein and dietary fiber.
4. Good sources of minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper and phosphorus, which are essential for proper metabolism in the body.
5. Good source of selenium, which is a natural antioxidant and can help to reduce the risk cancers and also maintains the integrity of cell membranes.
6. Good sources of B group vitamins like thiamine, folic acid, and vitamin B6, which are essential to enhance the release of energy from foods.
7. One of the very few nuts that have vitamin K and is good source of it, which helps in blood coagulation.
8. The juice of the fruit has been found to relieve uterine complaints and dropsy.
9. It is also a powerful diuretic.
10. The thick, inflammable caustic oil that is present between the two layers of shell has – Anacardic acid and a yellow oleaginous liquid Cardol, which have been successfully applied to corns, warts, ringworms, cancerous ulcers and even elephantiasis, and has been used in beauty culture to remove the skin of the face in order to grow a new one. But they have to be used with great caution, as it can cause blisters on the skin.
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