![]() ![]() How severe your symptoms are may depend on the dose, type of contact, and how your body responds to allergens. Raw cashews in their shell contain urushiol, a toxin that causes a delayed allergic skin reaction similar to that caused by poison ivy. The type and degree of reaction may depend on how much urushiol you’re exposed to and whether you consumed it or had direct skin contact with it. In an older animal study, cashew nutshell extract was fed to rats in varying amounts, resulting in a wide range of symptoms, including licking, scratching, tremors, increased pain sensitivity, mucus secretions, passive behavior, and even death ( 7). While urushiol resides in all parts of the plant, including the roots, stem, and leaves, it also tends to sit in the oil between the cashew shell and nut inside.Ĭoming into contact with urushiol commonly results in allergic contact dermatitis, a delayed skin rash in humans that’s similar to one you might experience after exposure to poison ivy ( 4).Īn urushiol-induced skin rash appears as bumps or patches on the skin that are itchy, inflamed, and may have secretions, potentially even causing an intense burning sensation or localized swelling ( 3).Ī 1982 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlined how 7,500 bags of cashews containing urushiol residue were sold along the East Coast as part of a fundraiser, causing around 20% of the purchasers to experience a rash ( 5, 6). Browse 91,100+ cashew trees stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Urushiol is a substance found in all members of the Anacardiaceae family of trees, which includes cashews, mango, poison ivy, poison oak, sumac, Peruvian peppers, and pistachios ( 3). Even cashews sold as raw have been roasted once after being carefully harvested and shelled to remove any toxic oil residue.Ĭashews naturally contain a toxin called urushiol. Truly raw cashews are still in their shell, which cannot be eaten. Another round of roasting may also help ensure any remaining urushiol residue is removed before sale.Ĭommercial cashews are then ready for quality checks, packaging, and sale. The raw cashews are then roasted at high heat, either by steaming them in a large rotating drum or vat of boiling oil to remove urushiol remnants before they can be shelled, thoroughly dried, and peeled.Īt this point, these cashews are still often labeled as raw, since they’re free of added flavorings.Ĭashews may be roasted a second time for flavoring purposes if they’re being sold as roasted cashews. These cashews are raw and not sold due to a risk of urushiol exposure. The cashew nuts, still in their shell, are removed from the ends of the fruits and may be dried in the sun, depending on the manufacturer’s process. The cashew family (Anacardiaceae) also includes the mangoes, pistachios. (also cashew tree) a bushy tropical American tree (Anacardium occidentale ), bearing cashew nuts singly at the tip of each swollen fruit. The cashew apples, which are edible but highly perishable, are collected. (also cashew nut) an edible kidney-shaped nut, rich in oil and protein. The cashews are ready for harvesting when the cashew apples begin to fall from the tree. The cashews themselves grow inside of gray shells on the ends of those fruits. Mature cashew trees grow red or yellow pear-shaped drupes called cashew apples. As such, they’re classified as a type of tree nut. They will not tolerate poorly drained soils and can be prone to damaged from strong winds.Cashew apples and nuts are highly nutritious, they contain high amounts of vitamin C and are excellent sources of calcium, iron and vitamin B1.Cashews grow on cashew trees ( Anacardium occidentale). It is best grown in well drained sandy or sandy loam soils. It is a fast growing and strong tree that will tolerate dry conditions once it is established. It can grow to 15 meters and favours dry tropical conditions especially in coastal regions. Caution must be taken when shelling nuts and protective clothing is recommended.The tree is very attractive, it produces beautiful rose-coloured scented flowers in panicles, followed by the enticing red fruits. The shell of the kernal contains a thick caustic oil which can cause severe burns and skin irritation. The cashew nut tree is native to Central and South America, the nut grows within an outer shell at the end of an edible fruit known as the cashew apple. ![]()
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