Are Raw Cashews Poisonous

Cashew nuts are simply delicious and one cannot stop eating unless the pack of cashew nuts becomes empty. However, there are certain food items that cannot be eaten without being cooked. This is also applicable to cashew nuts. This is because unprocessed or raw cashews are not fit for consumption. Doctors often say that eating raw cashews can be detrimental to health.

The Cashew Tree
Basically, 'cashews' is a tree that attains a height of around 32 feet when fully grown. The tree bears large leaves and flowers that look indeed very beautiful. The cashew apple and the cashew nuts are the byproducts of this tree. The fruit (cashew apple) is a swollen reddish-yellow structure and is around 5-8 cm long. Known for its lip smacking taste, the fruit is high in water content and rich in vitamin C.

Does this cashew apple contain the cashew nut? No! A kidney-shaped shell is seen hanging from the bottom part of the cashew apple. Simply break the shell and one will be able to gain access to the cashew nut. In other words, the kidney-shaped shell is the place where the cashew nuts develop.

Are Raw Cashews Poisonous?
As aforementioned, the cashew nut lies within the shell. This kidney-shaped shell acts as a protective covering for the nut. However, the shell all contains a toxic liquid and if ingested can be harmful to health. Although, this toxic chemical is not in contact with the cashew nut but when the shell is broken to remove the nut, there is a high probability that the nut may get exposed to this toxic liquid, thereby making it inedible.

Eating Raw Cashews - Side Effects
The toxic liquid that covers the inner layer of the shell is poisonous. Exposure of cashew nuts to this toxic matter, makes them unpalatable. So, if one is going to consume these raw cashew nuts, the person is bound to experience some unwelcome changes in the body that may manifest on the skin. To start with, a skin rash develops on the skin. The formation of blisters makes the skin itchy, which may appear anywhere on the body. Why does this happen? It is observed that an important constituent of the shell liquid is anacardic acid, which is nothing but a skin irritant. That is why the body responds in the form of skin rash. The rash, thus formed causes constant itching, and scratching it will further worsen the condition.

Commercially Sold Cashew nuts
Going to a grocery store, one may find packets of cashew nuts labeled as 'raw'. Here raw means 'unroasted' and does not indicate that the nuts are removed from the shells and directly sold. In fact no company is allowed to sell cashew nuts in this way. These nuts available in the market are thoroughly processed. The manufacturing process involves heating the nut shell at a very high temperature. The heat produced expels the toxic matter out of the shell, leaving only the nut. After removing the cashew nuts from the shell, to be on the safer side, the nuts may again be heated for one or 2 minutes and are then sold in packets.

Books written on nutritional facts of cashews, tell that these nuts are good source of proteins, omega 3 essential fatty acids, vitamin B and essential minerals like iron, zinc and potassium. However, this cooking process may actually reduce the nutritional value of this popular snack. Considering the safety aspect of consuming cashews, processing is very important to ensure a healthy snack.