Not everyone knows what cashew nuts are, and the popularity of this delicacy is growing and growing. Someone thinks that this is an exotic fruit, others - a salad ... In fact, cashews are the most ordinary, unsightly curved shape, nut, which, however, has a wonderful taste and a lot of useful qualities.
Among the Indians of the Tikuna tribe, who lives in Brazil, considered the birthplace of these nuts, cashews are called "acaju" and translated as "yellow fruit." From this word came the common Portuguese name "caju". The cashew tree was discovered in 1558 in Brazil by the Portuguese, who appreciated its fruits. Then he was taken to the African continent, on which it remarkably took root. Currently, cashew trees are grown in more than 30 countries with a humid and warm climate; cashew plantations around the world occupy about 36 thousand square meters.
Cashew nuts are used in Africa as a means of applying tattoos to the skin; in Brazil, they are recognized as an effective remedy for bronchitis, asthma, flu, diabetes and indigestion. In Haiti, this wonderful nut is a reliable remedy for warts and toothache, in Panama for hypertension, and in Venezuela for a sore throat. In Mexico, freckles are discolored with cashew nuts, and in Peru they are used as an antiseptic.
Cashew nuts consist of two halves, which are also called "cashew apples." These nuts have incomparable gustatory qualities, and are eaten raw and fried. Roasted cashew nuts acquire a soft, sweet taste, go well with mineral water. Cashews are widely used in culinary, are part of various exotic salads, and are also an excellent independent snack. The taste of pastries, sauces, first and second courses flavored with cashew nuts becomes more intense and vibrant.
Along with other nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, cashews are high- nutritional foods . But unlike them, it contains much less fat.
What are the benefits of cashew nuts?
These nuts are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins A, E, B1, B2; it also contains riboflavin, carotene, thiamine and nicotinic acid. In addition, cashews contain a lot of useful trace elements, such as iron, phosphorus, zinc and calcium. The vitamins contained in nuts help to normalize the metabolism of proteins and fatty acids, strengthen the immune system, and also reduce blood cholesterol and normalize the activity of the cardiovascular system. The high content of vitamin E in them helps the body fight free radicals, which is an important prevention of cancer.
Cashews are an excellent adjuvant for the treatment of metabolic disorders, psoriasis, anemia, dystrophy and relief of toothache. These nuts have antiseptic, antibacterial and tonic properties. In addition, cashews are an excellent raw material for the production of high-quality oils rich in vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The calorie content of cashew nuts per 100 grams of product is 631 kcal. The same amount of nuts contains: 5.3 g of water, 25 g of protein, 54 g of fat, 13 g of carbohydrates, 7 g of mono- and disaccharides, 5 g of starch, 3 g of ash and other trace elements.
Useful Tips:
- It is advisable to buy whole nuts, as they have a longer shelf life;
- dried, wrinkled, darkened or moldy nuts are best avoided;
- it is necessary to store cashews in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container, because, due to the high content of fat, kept warm, they acquire a bitter aftertaste.