Raw cashew nuts taste more neutral and will have a creamier result when blended. However, if all you have are roasted cashew nuts, you can use them in many savory dishes, such as cashew Alfredo sauce. The toasted flavor is noticeable, so keep that in mind when making this substitution. The phrase “raw cashew nut” is misleading, since all cashew nuts suitable for consumption have been roasted once to remove both the cashew shell and the harmful oils from the shell.
An ounce of raw cashew nuts has 5.6 micrograms of selenium, 2.2 micrograms more than what can be found in an ounce of roasted cashew nuts. An ounce of raw cashew nuts contains 1.9 milligrams of iron, while an ounce of roasted cashew nuts has 1.7 milligrams. Usually, a high-powered mixer can mix cashew nuts from start to finish in a short mixing session without needing to scrape the sides. Because cashews don't have a thick outer skin and already start out as a softer nut, they only need to be soaked for about 2-3 hours.
When it comes to nutrition, both raw and roasted cashews are great options; the ways in which both types of cashew nuts are processed don't change the other nutritional properties of cashew nuts. Soaked cashew nuts can better absorb the spices and condiments used to roast them, and this process can result in a texture that is both crunchier and easier to chew. Customers looking for raw cashew nuts can purchase raw cashew nuts whole, split in half or in pieces in sealed bags weighing between two and fifty pounds. Remember that cashew nuts are known for their rich, creamy flavor, and when they're fresh, they're never bitter.
For customers looking for roasted cashew nuts, Beyond offers the Fuel your Beyond package, 3.5 ounces of roasted and salted cashew nuts. Even cashew nuts sold raw are roasted once after carefully harvested and peeled to remove any toxic oil residue. Raw cashew nuts have a longer lifespan than roasted cashew nuts because the oils used to roast cashew nuts cause roasted cashew nuts to go rancid sooner. While “raw” cashew nuts are widely sold, really raw cashew nuts are not safe to eat because they contain a substance known as urushiol, which is found in poison ivy.
Cashew, along with almonds, walnuts, fillets, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and others, are tree nuts.