Anacardium occidentale, also known as the
cashew tree, produces the cashew apple from which the cashew
seeds or nuts grow.
The cashew apple is edible and has a red or pale yellow colour. The nut, which is largely consumed, is either roasted and eaten on it’s own or incorporated into recipes or processed into butter.
Here are a number things that might interest you about this delicious fruit
- Cashews are seeds and not nuts, they grow out of apples, ‘cashew apples’ or cashew drupes. They are technically seeds of cashew apples.
- Raw cashew shells are poisonous.The outer shell that covers the seed contains a resin called urushiol that produces a nasty rash, which is why the seeds are sold without a shell unlike other nuts like walnuts.
- Cashews can be processed into cashew butter.
- Cashews contain high monounsaturated fats which is similar to those in olive oil; the nuts also have a lower fat content in comparison to other nuts, making cashew exceptionally good for the heart.
- Cashews contain antioxidant properties.
- The cashew apple or drupe is quite edible and has commercial value. The cashew tree is also of commercial value especially in countries where they are common and can be easily accessed.
- The cashew tree is actually native to South and Central America but was introduced to India and Africa by the Portuguese
- Nigeria is one of several countries involved in production of the cashew nut.
- The cashew fruit has a short shelf life.
- November 23rd is National Cashew Day
- The cashew seeds grows outside the fruit and not inside.
- The English name ‘cashew’ was derived from the Portuguese pronunciation ‘caju’
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This article was first published on 18th May 2018
amarachi
Amara Adanna Ogbonna is a Christian, foodie, and lover of arts. She spends most of her time on Facebook.
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