Whole Cashew

The cashew is one of the few species that is grown starting from the seed even if the propagation can be done by grafting, layering or offshoots. The cashew seed germinates little and slowly therefore it is necessary to plant more seeds in the same planting site and subsequently thin out. The seed must be planted in situ as young plants are not easily transplanted. The distance between one plant and another is 10x10 meters at the beginning, then it is increased to 20x20 meters after about 10 years, with a maximum density of 250 plants per hectare. In the three years necessary to start production, the low branches and suckers are cut off the young plants.

In the producing countries , instead of the seed, the false fruit is eaten which is eaten fresh or transformed into jam. In Brazil, during the harvesting season, a juice is extracted from the fruit, which has a sour and refreshing taste, which can be drunk as it is (Brazil cajuado) or as wine after fermentation. From the cashew seed it is possible to obtain, with a yield of 45%, a fine edible oil of a light yellow color similar to almond oil. The cnsl is extracted from the shell and has many uses, it is used for the production of brake linings, clutch discs, waterproof paints and plastic materials. From the plant a timber is obtained, appreciated for its insect-repellent properties, used for the production of furniture, boats and crates. A gum is extracted from the trunk and used to replace gum arabic.

The tree is an evergreen that grows up to 10-12 m in height, of which the largest extant specimen is found in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with an area of about 7,500 square meters. The cashew plant is frequently found in coastal areas both in warm temperate climate regions and in dry tropical climate areas and also in equatorial rainforests. The harvest takes place during the dry season: the ripe fruits that fall from the branches are piled up and left to dry on the ground for a few days, during which it is very important that the climate is dry.

Cashews, unlike other oily nuts, contain about 10% of their weight in starch . This makes it a good thickener for watery dishes such as soups, meat stews, and some milk-based Indian desserts. Many Asian cuisines use cashews instead of other nuts because of this unusual characteristic.

Cashews are commonly used in Indian cuisine : whole, to garnish desserts and curry dishes, or ground into a paste, base of curry sauces (e.g. korma) or in some desserts (e.g. kaju barfi). In Goan cuisine, raw or roasted cashews are used whole to prepare curries and desserts.

The indigenous population of cashew-producing countries uses many parts of the plant for the preparation of medicinal substances and insect repellent lotions.

The fats and oils in cashews are 54% monounsaturated fat (18:1), 18% polyunsaturated fat (18:2), and 16% saturated fat (9% palmitic acid (16:0) and 7% stearic acid (18:0)). The report is therefore in favor of monounsaturated fatty acids generally considered "good", as they favor the replacement of LDL cholesterol present in the blood, the cause of heart attacks and vascular obstructions, with HDL cholesterol, which does not represent a source of danger for the 'body. Cashews are an excellent source of Vitamin K (100 g of natural cashews provide 40% of the reference nutritional value) which contributes to regular blood clotting and the maintenance of healthy bones. Cashews are also a good source of minerals such as copper, phosphorus and zinc.

For some people, cashews can give allergic reactions, and moderate consumption is also recommended for those who tend to suffer from kidney stones. Many parts of the plant are used in the traditional medicine of the Patamonas of Guyana. They grind the seeds into a poultice for treating snakebites, apply the nut oil to cracked heels or as an antifungal agent, and use the fruit, bark and leaves for many other purposes including for wounds and rashes. skin, as an antipyretic and against diarrhea1,2.

Literature reports that the petroleum ether and ethanol extracts of cashew leaves inhibit the growth of numerous species of bacteria and fungi2.

In one study, some chemical compounds identified in cashew shell oil were evaluated and were evaluated as effective against Streptococcusmutans, a bacterium responsible for many dental caries, and other Gram-positive bacteria3.

The cashew nut is included in the list of food allergens (Annex 2 section III of Legislative Decree 109/1992 and subsequent amendments).

1 DeFilipps RA, Maina SL, Crepin J. (surmised) (2007 (surmised)). "MedicinalPlants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana)". Smithsonian Institution.

2 Akash P. Dahake, Vishal D. Joshi, Arun B. Joshi (2009). "Antimicrobial screening of different extracts of Anacardium occidentalis Linn. Leaves". International Journal of ChemTechResearch 1(4):856–858.

3 MasakiHimejima, IsaoKubo (February, 1991). "Cashewoilmay conquer quercavities". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 39(2):418–421.