Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, and pecans are known as some of the world’s most nutritious nuts.Apart from them, cashew nuts are also very good for your health, if consumed within a limited amount as per the prescription of a nutritionist. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals that help the body with certain health problems and also aid in weight loss.The cashew tree, scientifically known by the name Anacardium occidentale, grows to a height of 46 ft (14 m). The small-sized cashew tree grows only up to a height of 20 ft (6 m). Such small cashew trees are known to be more beneficial as they are known to mature earlier in comparison to tall cashew trees. The cashew tree can be enjoyed in many ways as the cashew apples’ different parts are used for multiple purposes. The cashew apple is not a true fruit. The cashew nut is the seed part that is consumed by people globally, either as roasted cashews or as plain cashew nuts. The real fruit of the cashew tree is its seed, the cashew nut, and not the cashew apple. It is also used in preparing multiple dishes, and cashew butter, along with cashew milk, is also used by chefs. Many people are allergic to the real fruit of the cashew tree, as they might get a skin reaction, diarrhea, and in some cases, vomiting if consumed in excess.In Southeast Asia, most of the food consists of cashews, such as in preparing numerous chicken dishes. In southern India, cashew nut production is done on a large scale. The shell of the cashew seed was used in paints, as lubricants, and waterproofing during the Second World War. The cashew apple is yellow to red in its color and its pulp is used for multiple purposes, such as sweet fermented drinks and liquor. Although the cashew apple is not a true fruit, it is still used indirectly for many purposes. The cashew apple tree can mostly be seen growing in the tropical evergreen forests that cover the northeastern parts of Brazil and Central America. In the east, India is also known for the production of cashews. Cashew trees can also be found growing in tropical climates in Africa. Cashew apple seeds are edible as nuts. The cashew nut tree, unlike other nuts, is a shrub-like tree whose accessory fruit is green in color and then turns red when it matures.Cashew Plant ClassificationThe cashew nut tree belongs to the division of Magnoliophyta, order of Sapindales, family Anacardiaceae, and genus Anacardium. The scientific name of the cashew nut tree is Anacardium occidentale.The cashew nuts’ name is from the Portuguese, which means ‘caju’. The other name for the same is ‘acaju’, which is a Tupian word and means ’nut that produces itself’. The generic or genus name of the cashew tree, Anacardium, is taken from Greek and divided into two: ‘ana’, which means ‘upward’, and ‘cardia’, which means ‘heart’.This could probably refer to the heart-like shape of the fruit. Cashew apples are not the real fruit of the cashew tree. Initially, the production of cashew trees started in Brazil and the Portuguese, with the trade spreading to most parts of the world, such as southeast Asia and Africa.Health Benefits Of CashewThere are many health benefits to plain cashews and roasted cashews. They are a good and rich source of healthy fats and antioxidants like polyphenols, and they are also rich in protein.In western countries, they are mostly eaten as snacks to include certain vitamins and minerals in their diet. Cashew is known to reduce the cholesterol level in humans. Earlier, as per different resources, it was evident that cashews have bad saturated fat while the fat present in the cashews is from stearic acids, which indeed help the human body to lower blood cholesterol.According to some of the research done on this fruit seed, it was found that it helps in reducing the bad cholesterol level in the human body. The risk of heart disease is also reduced from the consumption of cashews in the diet. Due to its high magnesium content, it lowers the bad cholesterol level in the human body, and thus, prevents heart diseases.If magnesium is consumed in a good amount, ischemic stroke can be prevented in some way. It also prevents problems related to strokes, such as hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs due to the weak vessels in the brain. Cashews are known to be very low in carbohydrates, which has a major impact on the blood sugar level of the person, particularly for those suffering from type 2 diabetes.When it comes to the consumption of this fruit, whether roasted or plain, as snacks, no more than 5-10 nuts should be consumed in a day. If you are able to digest these nuts, then a maximum of 18 nuts can be consumed. More consumption of these fruit nuts can lead to many problems related to the kidney. The oxalate content of cashews is high. When eaten or consumed in large quantities, it can damage the kidneys, as well as cause a variety of other chronic health problems.Many times, other nuts are often related to cashews because they belong to the same family, such as chestnuts, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, and many more. All these nuts are some of the healthiest nuts. All you need to focus on is first finding out if you are allergic to such nuts or not. Cashew shells contain anacardic acid, which at times causes skin reactions or irritation.Nutritional Profile Of CashewCashew nuts are a good source of protein, magnesium, vitamins, and minerals. The raw form of cashews is known to have 30% of carbohydrates, 18% of protein, 5% of water, and 44 % of fats.3.5 oz (100 g) of raw cashews has 553 calories and 67% of the daily value in the form of total fats, 36% of protein, 11% of carbohydrates, and 13% of dietary fiber. There are also many dietary minerals present in the cashew nuts, which make up more than 20%.A mineral such as magnesium is 79–110% of its daily value. Other minerals are phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, potassium, selenium, and copper. Vitamins such as thiamin, vitamin K, which constitutes up to 32–37%, and vitamin B6. Beta-sitosterol is also found in cashew nuts. Cashews also contain beta-sitosterol.Many people are allergic to cashews, and around 3% of adults and 6% of children are known to have allergic reactions that can vary from very mild to dangerous. It may also cause anaphylaxis, which can really be life-threatening for individuals. This is due to the amount of protein found in the tree nuts.Raw cashews go through different processing and the shell of the tree nuts is also known to cause an allergic reaction. The tree nuts are no doubt nutritious, but at the same time, individuals need to take the allergy into consideration before considering the nutritional value of the fruit.What other nuts are the substitute for cashew?Good substitutes for cashews are tofu, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, tahini, and a mixture of pine and zucchini. Apart from this, there are many other substitutes, such as hazelnuts, and many more.Tahini, which is sesame seed butter, allows a cashew butter substitution. Cashews are no doubt very expensive and, at the same time can be difficult to find in the market. So, in that case, tahini paste can easily be a substitute for cashews. Although tahini, in comparison to the cashew paste, will not be that buttery and creamy, it will no doubt provide a milder alternate for the same to prepare the dish.So, if you want to thicken up the paste, then peanut butter can also be incorporated. Cashews are species of the nut family. Similarly, there are many other nuts that belong to the same family and they look alike or different from each other in one or another way. Pine nuts are thought to be very similar to cashew nuts, and both nut species have a sweet flavor.In terms of substitution, both of them go well if you are allergic to cashews. The pine nuts are crunchier and bolder in flavor compared to the cashews. So, do take this fact into consideration before substituting the two nut species. Walnuts are also a good option as a substitute for cashews when preparing a meal. The content of the walnut paste is also buttery, smooth, and fattening, making it a good substitute for cashew nuts.If walnuts are compared to cashews, then the walnuts are mild in flavor along with rough in texture. So just a slight difference can be spotted in the recipe. In certain sweet smoothies and shakes, cashews can be replaced with walnuts. Walnuts’ nutritional value is also comparatively healthier in terms of minerals and vitamins.Almonds are a good alternative to cashews. Both almonds and cashews are from the nut family and have many similarities in regard to vitamins and minerals. Almonds can be easily replaced with cashews because of their similar texture, from being a pudding to some sour soup dishes. In a variety of dishes, the two can be replaced.Almond flour can be used in order to make non-dairy regular bread or gluten-free cookies. The paste of both the nuts is similar and can easily be replaced. People who are allergic to nuts find it difficult to find a substitute for this sweet, edible nut. Sunflower seeds are known to be very good substitutes for this nut fruit.For most people, it is common to find that the tree nut is not easily digested and also causes allergies. So, sunflower seeds can be consumed on the other hand. Sunflower seeds are crisp and crunchier to digest, with a buttery flavor along with many vitamins and minerals. Hence, replacing cashews with sunflower seeds would not be a bad idea, and even in preparing different dishes, the cashews can be replaced with sunflower seeds.Silken tofu is also a good substitute for cashews, although it is not a nut substitute for cashews. True, silken tofu does not taste or look like cashews, but it can be used in some dishes in place of cashews. In Asian dishes, cashews are often be replaced by silken tofu. In regard to the nutritional value, you can easily replace cashews with silken tofu.
Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, and pecans are known as some of the world’s most nutritious nuts.
