All About Cashews

I love cashew nuts. In keeping with my curiosity of the nutritional value of foods I like, I set out to learn about cashew nuts.

Cashew is a bean shaped nut that grows on a tropical evergreen tree. The cashew tree is related to poison ivy and the shell of the cashew nuts contains an irritating poison. People who touch the shell sometimes develop skin rashes/blisters; this is the reason why cashew nuts are always sold shelled and dried. Even the so-called "raw" cashews have actually been roasted to remove all the poison/toxic resin from the nuts. Did you know that? We learn something new every day!


Despite it's relationship to poison ivy, cashew nuts are quite beneficial. They have a high energy density and high amount of dietary fiber, both have been attributed to a beneficial effect on weight management, but only when eaten in moderation, of course. Cashew nuts have high copper content which is vital in energy production, greater flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints. Consumption of cashew nuts helps the body utilize iron, eliminate free radicals, develop bone and connective tissue, and produce the skin and hair pigment melanin.

No surprise that cashew nuts have so much to offer, even in small amounts. However, what I didn't expect to learn -- and what I found truly interesting about cashew nuts -- is this:

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