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• Cashews are also rich in many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish and essential for metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates at cellular levels.
  
• In addition, the nuts are also containing small amount of Zea-xanthin, an important flavonoid antioxidant, which selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes. It is thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV ray filtering functions and helps prevent age related macular degeneration (ARMD) in the elderly.
  

Selection and storage

Cashew nuts are available in the markets year around. In the stores, only shelled cashews are made available since shell contains phenolic resin, urushiol, which is a potent skin irritant toxin.

Different forms of cashews are available; raw, salted, sweetened or ground...etc. Buy shelled nuts that are bright cream-white in color, compact, uniform in size and feel heavy in hand. They should be free from cracks, mold, and spots and free of rancid smell.

Store shelled nuts inside airtight container and place in the refrigerator to avoid them turn rancid. Under ideal conditions, fresh nuts should last for 5-6 months.

• Cashews are eaten as a snack either on its own, salted or sweetened.

• Cashews are nutty yet pleasantly sweet in taste. They are relished as garnish in sweets and desserts.

• Cashews, along with almonds and other dry fruits are being used in various rice dishes hyderbadi-biriyani, rice-pulao...etc, and in curry (kaaju-shahi-paneer) preparations in Indian, Pakistani and Middle East regions.

• Crushed cashew with almonds, pistachio are often sprinkled over desserts, particularly sundaes, and other confectionary.

• The nuts are widely used in confectionery, as an addition to biscuits, sweets and cakes.

• "Cashew apples" are among popular fruits; eaten on their own in many regions of the world. They are also being used to make liquors.

Safety profile

Cashew nut allergy is common hypersensitivity condition in some individuals, especially in children. The reaction symptoms may range from simple skin itching (hives) to severe form anaphylactic manifestations including breathing difficulty, pain abdomen, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The allergic manifestations are due to chemical compound anacardic acid (urushiol) that is present in cashew apples, shells, and nuts. Cross-reactions also occurs with some other nuts and fruits of anacardiaceae family such as mango, pistachio etc.

Individuals with known allergic reactions to cashew nut and fruit may observe caution while eating them.

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Mildly sweet yet crunchy, delicious cashew nut is packed with energy, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that are essential for robust health! Cashews, or "caju" in Portugese, are a popular ingredient in sweet as well savory dishes.
Botanically, cashew is an average size evergreen tree belonging to the Anacardiaceae family of the genus: Anacardium.
Scientific name:Anacardium occidentale.
The cashew tree is native to Brazil’s Amazon rain forest, which spread all over the world by Portuguese explorers. Today, it is grown commercially in Brazil, Vietnam, and India and in many African countries.
Cashew tree bears numerous, edible, pear shaped false fruits or “accessory fruits” called "cashew apples." A small bean shaped, grey color “true fruit” is firmly adhering to lower end of these apples appearing like a clapper in the bell. This true fruit is actually a drupe, featuring hard outer shell enclosing a single edible seed or the “cashew nut.” The outer shell contains a phenolic resin, urushiol, which is a potent caustic skin irritant toxin. It is, therefore, the outer shell is roasted in the processing unit in order to destroy the resin, urushiol and then, the edible nut is extracted.
Cashew nut measures about a inch in length and 1/2 inches in diameter with kidney or bean shape, and smooth curvy pointed tip. Each nut has two equal halves as in legumes. The nuts are cream white color with firm yet delicate texture and smooth surface. Cashews have buttery texture with pleasant sweet fruity aroma.

Health benefits

• Cashews are high in calories. 100 g of nuts provide 553 calories. They are packed with soluble dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and numerous health-promoting phyto-chemicals that help protect from diseases and cancers.
  
• They are rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower or bad LDL cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
  
• Cashew nuts are very rich source of minerals. Minerals especially manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium are concentrated in the nuts. A handful of cashew nuts a day in the diet would provide enough of these minerals and prevent deficiency diseases. Selenium is an important micronutrient, which functions as co-factor for antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione peroxidases, one of the most powerful antioxidant in the body. Copper is a cofactor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.
  

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Raw whole nuts are generally cut open at processing units using larger sheller machines. Smaller nut sheller equipment or hand held pliers usually are being used for domestic uses.
Here are some serving tips:

• Almonds can be enjoyed either on their own or salted or sweetened.

• They are nutty yet pleasantly sweet in taste. Sweetened almond milk is a quite popular drink in Indian and other south Asian countries. 

• Most sought after among nuts in various rice dishes and curry preparations in Middle-East region.

• The nuts are often sprinkled over desserts, particularly sundaes and other ice cream based recipes.

• They are widely used in confectionery, as an addition to cookies, biscuits, sweets, and cakes.

• The nuts are also used to make almond-butter, which is popular in peanut allergy sufferers.

Safety profile

Almond nut allergy, although not so common as other tree nut allergies like cashew, pistachio etc, may cause hypersensitivity cross-reactions in some people to food substances prepared using the nuts. The type and severity of symptoms may vary and may include vomiting, diarrhea, pain abdomen, swelling of lips, and throat leading to breathing difficulty, and chest congestion. Therefore, caution should be exercised in those with nut allergic syndrome while using food preparations that contain nut products.

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Health benefits of Almonds

• Almond nuts are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals and packed with numerous health promoting phyto-chemicals; the kind of well-balanced food ensure protection against diseases and cancers.
  
• These nuts are rich source of energy and nutrients. They are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol." Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
  
• The nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E; contain about 25 g per100 g (about 170% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.
  
• Almonds are free in gluten and therefore, are a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten free food formulas. Such formula preparations are in fact healthy alternatives in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.
  
• These nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates. These vitamins functions as co-factors for enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism.
  
• They are also rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
  
• The sweet almond oil is obtained from the nuts is an excellent emollient; helps to keep skin well protected from dryness. It has also been used in cooking, and as “carrier or base oil” in traditional medicines in aromatherapy, in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.
  

Just a hand full of these nuts a day provides enough recommended levels of minerals, vitamins, and protein. Besides, almond oil extracted from the nuts has been used in as base or carrier oil in medicine, aromatherapy and in pharmaceuticals.

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Almonds nutrition facts

Wonderfully delicious, almonds have long been revered as symbol of wellness and health. The nuts are enriched with many health-benefiting nutrients that are essential for optimum health.
Botanically, they are the fruits from species of tree belonging to the family of Rosaceae, of Genus: Prunus. Scientific name: Prunus dulcis.
Almond tree is a small deciduous tree, native to mineral rich West-Asian mountain ranges that provide optimum environment for their growth. In recent years, it is being cultivated in many regions of the world as an important commercial crop.
During each spring season, the tree bears whitish-pink flowers that ultimately become fruits by autumn.
In structure; the fruit is a drupe; a single seed, known as ‘almond nut’ is actually enclosed inside the stony hard shell. Almonds feature oval to conical in shape, brown in color, measuring about 2 cm in length and 1 cm in breadth and weigh about 1 to 1.5 g.

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