Yes, cashew nuts can help maintain a healthy diet and prevent weight gain. Cashew nuts and nuts in general may be high in calories, but they're also rich in nutrients and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals, Sassos explains. Cashew nuts are then roasted to remove any trace of toxins and the last process is done entirely by hand, involving removing the shell containing tannins, which requires experience and this is another reason why the processing of cashew nuts cannot be fully automated, since most steps require labor. While Sri Lanka processes and sells many of its own cashew nuts domestically, other countries export much of what they grow.
Unlike other popular nuts such as peanuts, pistachios and chestnuts, cashew nuts are sold without shells because the shell is poisonous in its natural state. Although the inclination towards veganism has led to an increase in demand for nuts and nut butters, it is surprising to see that peanuts and cashew nuts have a similar creamy texture, but the price of cashew nuts is almost five times higher than that of peanuts. And although cashew nuts are currently cheaper than in recent years, demand is likely to drive up prices in the future. Cashew comes from the same family as poison ivy, which makes the secretion from the cashew shell so poisonous, and like poison ivy, cashew plants contain a compound called urushiol.
With all their goodness, some might think that these nuts in the shape of a small moon were sent from above, but the truth is that the average person probably doesn't even know where cashew nuts actually come from or all the benefits they offer. But this list alone reminds us of the importance of a diet rich in whole foods such as cashew nuts and other nuts. For centuries, cashew nuts were processed manually, but over the years, with the advancement of technology, there are machines that help break shells and eliminate toxic oils without breaking nuts. Cashew nuts sprout from the bottom of an oddly shaped fruit, called a cashew, that looks a lot like a small pear.
Cashew nuts are fragile, so factories used to do this step manually to make sure the machines didn't break the nuts. Whether used as a snack, pasta for cooking, or as an alternative to milk or butter, cashew nuts have many applications around the world. Cashew nuts may be a natural solution for depression and anxiety, and they don't have the price or side effects of Prozac. Healthy eating trends are key to boosting demand, along with the versatility of the cashew nut itself, another reason why walnuts are still so valuable.
Vietnam, on the other hand, was one of the first countries to invest in automation, making it a key location for processing cashew nuts.