Cashews originate from Brazil, and they’ve been imported to India, currently the world’s largest producer, by the Portuguese.

Cashew nuts grow from a pseudo carp – cashew apple, whose pulp is juicy and sweet, and it can be processed into a fruit drink. Cashews can grow as single nuts or in clusters, and they have their shells.

Besides being a delicious fruit, the cashew nut is also a valuable source of many vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients, and it contains five times more vitamin C than oranges.

It is often used to make highly nutritive snacks and drinks. Cashew nuts are also used as an ingredient in many beauty products because they prevent premature aging of skin and hair.

Cashew nut is rich in essential amino acids (8.8mg %). It contains zinc (4.8mg per 100g), a mineral necessary for strengthening the immune system, as well as other minerals and vitamins: potassium, sodium, copper, fluorine, iodine, calcium (31mg %), iron (2.8mg %), phosphorus (373mg %), vitamin B1 (45mg %), B2 (12mg %), B6, niacin (12mg %), and vitamin E (5, 7mg %). Cashew nuts contain a lot of fat (48.2g), which also means they are high in calories: 100g contains 2.478kJ (578kcal).

Cashews are proven to show antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, refreshing, and invigorating effects. They are also very effective against cough, lower blood sugar, and high blood pressure, suppress a fever, and are an aphrodisiac.