Cashews are a well-known snack that is grown extensively, resulting in a substantial growing business throughout the world.Botanically, cashews (Anacardium occidentale) belong to the family of Anacardiaceae and are produced by the tropical and evergreen cashew trees. Cashews are originally seeds and come from the drupe that develops from the tip of the cashew apple.The tree produces a pear-shaped fruit called a cashew fruit, which is technically a false fruit or a pseudofruit. Just underneath this false fruit, lies the true fruit or the drupe, which is kidney-shaped. The cashew nut lies within this true fruit.Therefore, the cashews come from fruit and are originally seeds of the plant. The entire fruit of the cashew is not consumed because of the presence of a toxic oil that oozes out from its shell once its cracked. This oil is called cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), which is highly corrosive and can burn our skin if it comes in direct contact. Cashews are immensely popular as well as highly nutritious. They are used in different food items and are well known for their culinary attributes, just like nuts. Nutritionally, a cashew seed consists of high protein content and unsaturated fats or healthy fats. Native to Brazil, cashews are grown extensively in India and Vietnam. Vietnam is the largest cashew producer, followed by India. The Portuguese introduced cashews to India, after a sail from Brazil in the early 16th century. Due to the extensive root system of the cashew tree, soil erosion is highly prevented by these plants. Keep on reading to learn more about the fascinating facts on cashew nuts.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how are pistachios grown? And are pumpkins fruit? Here on Kidadl!What fruit do cashews come from?Cashews grow in cashew trees and come from fruits called cashew apples. These trees are tropical and evergreen.Cashew trees grow in large numbers in Brazil and South Africa. Venezuela produces the most cashews and has the highest sale in its market. India ranks second in the production and sale of cashews in its market. However, the largest tree of cashew is present in Natal, northeastern Brazil. The cashew tree was first planted by the Portuguese in the coastal regions of India, in Goa, to prevent soil erosion. The roots of the cashew tree grow extensively under the ground and bind the soil to it. The roots also grow horizontally and provide shelter to the underground soil just like an umbrella. This feature particularly fascinated the Portuguese, who historically harvested the cashew seeds. Wild elephants further helped in dispersing the cashew seeds because they only ate the false fruit. This resulted in the rapid spread of cashew trees in various parts of the world.Are cashews a nut or a fruit?The cashew is not a nut, but a seed of the cashew apple that grows on the tree, Anacardium occidentale. The upper portion of the fruit is a pseudofruit, which is fleshy and pear-shaped. The lower portion is the drupe, which bears the cashew seed inside.This seed is present within the green-colored kidney-shaped shell, which is inedible, due to the presence of a corrosive substance, anacardic acid, along with phenolic lipids and cardanol. This poisonous substance together with other compounds can react on the skin and cause contact dermatitis. Therefore, cashew harvesters wear gloves to protect their skin. While the shells go to waste, the mature cashew apples are edible, and can be eaten raw or cooked into curries and jams, and are vastly used by the people of India and Brazil. In South America, these fruits are used as a sweet flavoring agent in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Cashew trees typically prefer lowland areas with hot and dry seasons. The ideal conditions for cultivating cashew plants in tropical climates where the temperature ranges between 20-30 °C, and an annual rainfall of 1,000-2,000 mm. The trees are short and can grow up to a height of 551 in (1,400 cm) with a long stem. Their trunks are irregularly shaped and the leaves have broad margins with a leathery texture. The leaves are oval in shape. Flowers grow in the inflorescence with hues of green and then red at a later stage. The pseudocarp or the false fruit is pear-shaped with a red or yellow appearance. Often they look like capsicums, because of their bright colorations. The drupes are kidney-shaped and develop much earlier than the false fruits, attached to the drupe with a pedicel.Why do we eat cashews but not the fruit?We eat cashews and do not eat the drupe in which it is found. However, unlike its shell, the cashew apple, that is attached to the drupe, is edible once it is in a mature form.The drupes are not eaten as they possess a hard shell. This hard shell of the cashew nuts contains toxic substances, that may cause contact skin irritation and skin burn. In many countries, the cashew apple is eaten raw after its maturation. They are also used to make jams and curries. The local people of India use this fruit to make chutneys as well. The fruits are also fermented into vinegar. The fusion of the cashew apple and alcohol is quite popular in America. The cashew nut itself contains several nutrients that benefit our health, just like almonds and peanuts. Cashews undergo a lot of processing before they are available in the market. They are roasted with salt so the flavor enhances. The local people of Vietnam and other countries add spices to cashew nuts during processing to further increase their taste. Because they contain so many nutrients, cashews are considered to be nuts, just like peanuts. Cashew butter is also used in many food items. Ice creams and other desserts are the most common dishes that incorporate cashews in them, which intensifies their flavor to a whole new level. Our breakfast cereals also contain cashew nuts that provide as many calories as any other nut.Are the fruits edible from which cashews come?The drupe of the cashew plant, belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, in which the cashew nut is present, is not edible. But the cashew apple, which is the fleshy stem attached to the drupe is eaten.The cashew apples serve as important ingredients in jams, sweets, and other such food items. It is also used in the process of manufacturing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The astringency present in these apples can be removed by the process of steaming for approximately five minutes, and then soaking it in cold water. As the cashew apple bears a very low shelf life, the seeds are usually traded as nuts. The cashew seeds are included in various food items mostly related to sweets. The paste of the cashew is also used to prepare food with rich curries. We can store the cashew nuts and use them in the future as well. More than four million tons of cashew nuts are produced worldwide and are, therefore, one of the most rapidly increasing businesses. Africa exports the greatest amount of cashews. Though we do not consume the shell of the cashew seed, it contributes as an important ingredient in lubricants, paints, and waterproofing agents.How many cashews are in the fruit?The reason attributed to the high cost of cashew nuts is the fact that each fruit bears one single cashew nut. Further, this single cashew nut, after being harvested, undergoes a lot of processes before they reach the market.A single cashew nut present within the drupe leads to their vast produce in the markets. After the produce, they are manually sorted using human labor, which requires utmost precision in breaking the shell and getting the seed. The full cashew nut costs more than the broken parts, and hence, machines are unable to provide much help in this process. Different parts of the world grow cashews on a large scale. While so many nutritional benefits are associated with cashews, it is important to understand the adverse events that may occur upon overconsumption of cashew nuts. Since cashews are rich in fats, they provide a ton of calories in a single consumption. This may lead to weight gain and can even contribute to obesity and hypertension. Other heart-related risk factors are also associated with excessive eating of cashews. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do cashews come from a fruit then why not take a look at are truffles mushrooms, or are green beans a fruit.
Cashews are a well-known snack that is grown extensively, resulting in a substantial growing business throughout the world.
