![]() ![]() ![]() Finally, the inner shell is peeled off the cashew, leaving the white nut we’re all familiar with. At that point, the nuts are placed in an oven at approximately 140 degrees for 24 hours or until the inner shell becomes brittle. When it comes to processing cashews, not only is the outer shell extremely hard, but most producers must also steam the shells to ensure the cashews can be removed without becoming contaminated with the toxic resin.Īfter the initial steaming, special equipment is then used to remove the outer shell. You can thank the staggered ripening process, which can drag on for as long as 2 months, as well as anacardic acid and the labor-intensive process-most of which is performed by hand-needed to make cashews ready for market. While not the most expensive nut on earth-that honor goes to macadamia nuts-there’s no denying that cashews aren’t cheap. Even so, some people still have an allergic reaction when they come in contact with cashews, especially when the nuts are sold raw. In case you’ve ever wondered why cashews are basically the only nut never sold in the shell, unlike nuts like peanuts, pecans, and pistachios, this is why. And their double shells contain a resin called anacardic acid, which is closely related to urushiol-the same toxin that causes the maddening rash associated with poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Are Cashews … Poisonous?īelieve it or not, cashews are members of the same family ( Anacardiaceae) that includes both mangoes and poison ivy. Unfortunately, however, cashew apples begin to rot soon after falling from the tree, which is why you won’t be seeing them at your local farmers market any time soon. Interestingly, the cashew seed also develops first, with the cashew apple growing in girth as the cashew ripens.Īlthough cashews are a popular nut, er, seed, in the United States, in countries where cashew trees are grown, the juicy cashew apples are often fed to livestock or even preserved in syrup or, in Goa, India, turned into a locally popular liquor called feni. In fact, the yellowish to reddish cashew apple, which resembles a pear, elongated apple, or small squash, is considered a pseudofruit because it’s actually a swollen stalk, or pedicle, with the strange-looking bloated claw or enlarged kidney bean containing the cashew seed attached below. While cashews are commonly called nuts, in reality, they’re really seeds that sprout from the bottom of what are known as cashew apples-which, interestingly, aren’t technically fruits. What Are Cashews, Where Do They Come from, and Are They Even Nuts?Ĭashews come from the cashew tree ( Anacardium occidentale), a species of tropical evergreen native to Brazil. ![]() What about cashews? If you really love these super tasty nuts, you may be asking yourself: are cashews keto friendly? Read on to find out. But some nuts have a higher carb content than others. And you’ve read that nuts can be a good way to increase your fat content without loading up on net carbs. So you’ve committed to a low-carb, high-fat diet. ![]()
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