Is It Safe to Eat Cashew Fruit? Find the answer and also learn about the risks, nutritional value, and culinary uses of this tropical fruit.
“Is it safe to eat cashew fruit?” Find the answer in this post. This tropical fruit is a nutritious and tasty treat. Find everything about consuming cashew fruit in this article.
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What is Cashew Fruit?
Cashew fruit or cashew apples (Anacardium occidentale) are a tropical species and belong to the Anacardiaceae family.
Although native to Brazil, West Africa, Mozambique, and Guyana. These fruits have an oval or pear-shaped appearance with smooth, shiny skin in various colors, such as red, yellow, and orange. They are not only delicious but also have a fibrous texture.
Technically, the cashew apple is an accessory fruit and not a true fruit. The swollen stalk of the cashew flower encases a single seed, which is the cashew nut. After harvesting, the fruit undergoes processing to remove its outer skin and extract the cashew nut. After that, the fruit is dried and used in juices, jams, and sauces.
The cashew fruit is rich in essential nutrients like vitamin C, iron, phosphorous, and calcium. These juicy, lightly flavored, and sour fruits are a healthy and nutritious choice.
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Is it Safe to Eat Cashew Fruit?
Yes, it is Safe to Eat Cashew Fruit as the pulp is a popular delicacy in many tropical countries worldwide, notably in South America, Africa, and Asia. However, it is crucial to eat the fruit when it is fully ripe since the unripe fruit and skin contain urushiol. This toxic substance can trigger skin irritation and allergic reactions in some individuals.
What do Cashew Apples Taste Like?
Cashew fruits have a unique flavor profile that combines fruity, nutty, and vegetal notes, making them ideal for cooking in lightly prepared dishes. While you can eat cashew fruit raw, the high levels of tannins in the flesh may make them too bitter for some palates.
In Cambodia, it’s common to sprinkle salt on cashew apples to enhance their flavor when consumed fresh.
How to Eat Cashew Fruit
To eat the fruit, wash it, remove the skin, and enjoy the pulp. It’s important to note that cashew fruit is highly perishable. So, consume it within a few days of ripening. If you’re unable to eat it right away, you can freeze the fruit for later use.
The astringent-like effect of cashew fruit on the tongue can be reduced by steaming, boiling, or washing the cut fruit before eating. Additionally, the cashew fruit can be cooked and added to salads, preserved in sugar, or fermented to make vinegar and alcoholic drinks.
South American countries use cashew fruit to add flavor to beverages. The juice and pulp of the fruit are used in the preparation of sweets such as dulce de Maranon. Feni, a popular alcoholic drink in Goa and Maharashtra, is made by fermenting cashew fruits.
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Benefits of Eating Cashew Fruit
- Cashew fruits contain essential nutrients that strengthen the immune system, with vitamin C and fiber for regulating and cleansing the digestive tract. Potassium is used to balance fluid levels within the body.
- It also provides iron, necessary for developing the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport in the bloodstream.
- The cashew fruit also has copper for building connective tissues and other nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, and thiamine.
- Tannins give cashew fruit its bitter and astringent taste. They help to fight against inflammation while reducing symptoms associated with sore throats.
Nutritional Value of Cashew Fruit
Cashew fruit is highly nutritious; it provides significant amounts of essential vitamins such as A, B, and C. It also has minerals like selenium, magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorous, zinc, and fatty acids. It’s worth noting that the raw cashew nut makes up only 10% of the cashew fruit, while the remaining 90% is the cashew apple, which is composed of 91.4% water and 7.3% carbohydrates. The fruit also contains 0.18% protein and 0.05% fat.
Note: Though it is safe to eat cashew fruit, some countries believe that mixing milk with cashew apples can be poisonous and even lead to fatality. This belief is one of the reasons why the fruit is unpopular in those regions.
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