Can you eat the fruit of a cashew tree?

Cashew apple The cashew nut is the true fruit, and is considered a drupe. The mature cashew apple can be eaten fresh, cooked in curries, or fermented into vinegar, as well as an alcoholic drink. It is also used to make preserves, chutneys, and jams in some countries such as India and Brazil.

What part of cashew fruit is edible?

Instead, the true fruit is a smaller, kidney-shaped structure that grows underneath the cashew apple, also known as a drupe. Inside the fruit is where you find the edible seed that most people know as a cashew nut ( 2 ).

How toxic are cashew fruit?

Raw cashews contain a compound that can cause skin rashes and can be toxic when ingested. Unless you happen to work in a cashew plant or pick cashew apples, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter completely raw cashews. The so-called raw cashews sold in natural food stores are not exactly raw, but instead are steamed.

What can I do with cashew fruit?

The resin within the shells of the fruit is used as an insecticide and in the production of plastics; it also is important in traditional medicines. The cashew apple is used locally in beverages, jams, and jellies, though most cultivation is directed toward production of the valuable seed crop.

Why don’t we eat the cashew fruit?

The cashew nut lies within this true fruit. Therefore, the cashews come from fruit and are originally seeds of the plant. The entire fruit of the cashew is not consumed because of the presence of a toxic oil that oozes out from its shell once its cracked.

What is the cashew fruit called?

Cashew apple
Also known as the Cashew apple or Marañón in Central America, Cashew fruit is considered to be an “accessory” or “false” fruit, which means it does not encase the seeds of the plant inside the flesh. The “true” fruit is the shell that contains the cashew seed attached to the end of the Cashew apple.

Can you buy cashew fruit?

Today Cashew fruits can be found in limited quantities at local markets in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Is it safe to eat raw cashews from the store?

Truly raw cashews are not safe to eat, as they contain a substance known as urushiol, found in poison ivy. Urushiol is toxic, and contact with it can trigger a skin reaction in some people. Cashew kernels are often sold as “raw” in stores, but these have been steamed. This removes the toxins.

Why don’t we eat cashew apples?

This hard shell of the cashew nuts contains toxic substances, that may cause contact skin irritation and skin burn. In many countries, the cashew apple is eaten raw after its maturation. They are also used to make jams and curries. The local people of India use this fruit to make chutneys as well.