Cashews

The cashew nut (also called Bombay nut) is a popular nut among consumers. The cashew nut comes originally from Brazil. Remarkably enough, explorers from Portugal who first discovered the nut took the cashew tree to different countries. Nowadays, the cashew tree can be found in Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, India and Brazil.

Cashew apples

The cashew apple grows on a tropical tree of about 12 to 15 metres high. The cashew nut grows on the cashew apple. Sometimes more than one cashew nut grows on a single cashew apple. As a matter of fact, the cashew apple, which may vary in colour from yellow to red, is edible. It can also be made into cashew juice.

Intensive processing

The cashew nut requires very intensive processing. First of all, the cashew nut is roasted in the hull to make it possible to crack it. Subsequently, the nut is cracked, sometimes still by hand in some countries. The cashew nut remains, but there is still a skin around it that has to be removed by hand. This is one of the reasons that the cashew nut is expensive.

Nutritional value

The cashews grown in tropical regions contain more selenium than European or North American cashews, because of the soil in which they grow. Cashews are a good source of magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium plays an important role in the strengthening of the bones and in the activity of enzymes. They also contain iron. Iron is an important part of haemoglobin, an elementary component of red blood cells. Red blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Further informationen to other nuts:

• Peanuts
• Hazelnuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Almonds
• Brazil-nuts
• Pecan nuts
• Pistachio nuts
• Walnuts

Nutritional value Cashews

RDA = Recommended Daily Amount
Warning: Small children can choke on nuts.