Cashew is an evergreen tree native to Brazil. Top 10 countries cultivating Cashew are (1)Viet Nam 28%, (2)India 25%, (3)Nigeria 10%, (4)Brazil 8%, (5)Tanzania 6%, (6) Indonesia 4%, (7)Guinea-Bissau 4%, (8)Cote D'Ivoire 4%, (9)Mozambique 3%, (10)Benin 2%.Cashew tree produces a bat-dispersed and edible red or yellow false pedicel fruit (the 'cashew apple'), below which is attached the true shell-fruit in which the cashew nut is located. The inner part of the nuts can be eaten after the nuts must be roasted by burn off and remove the toxic protective shell.
The cashew apple can be consumed fresh, but contains high quantities of tannins yielding a bitter taste and dry mouth feel. It is eaten more often by cooked, partially dried, or candied, as in India. In india, they make the alcoholic drink, Feni from fermented cashew apple juice. This wine made from the juice is said to be the finest made from tropical fruits. But failure to remove the tannin from the juice may account for the nutritional deficiency in heavy imbibers of cashew apple wine, for tannin prevents the body's full assimilation of protein. Cashew nut shell liquid also having commercial value as the cashew nuts.
Medicinal uses
In Cuba and Brazil the cashew apple juice, without the removal of tannin, is being used as a home remedy for sore throat and chronic dysentery.
Cashew apple juice as fresh or distilled, it is a potent diuretic and is said to possess sudorific properties.
The brandy is applied as a liniment to relieve the pain of rheumatism and neuralgia.
Nutritional values
| Cashew nut | Cashew apple | |
| Water (%) | 3-7 | 86 |
| Calories | 578 | --- |
| Protein (%) | 18-22 | 0.1 |
| Fat (%) | 46 | 0.3 |
| Carbohydrates (%) | 27 | 9-15 |
| Crude Fiber (%) | 1.1 | 0.75 |
