View source for Cashew

{{Short description|Flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Cashew apples.jpg
|image_caption = Ripe fruit and attached drupe, which contains the edible seed
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref=<ref>{{cite iucn|author=Barstow, M.|year=2021|title=''Anacardium occidentale''|article-number=e.T60761600A60761604|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T60761600A60761604.en|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref>
|genus = Anacardium
|species = occidentale
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''Cashew''' is the common name of a tropical [[Evergreen|evergreen tree]] '''''Anacardium occidentale''''', in the family [[Anacardiaceae]]. It is native to [[South America]] and is the source of the cashew nut and the cashew apple, an [[accessory fruit]]. The tree can grow as tall as {{convert|14|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}}, but the dwarf cultivars, growing up to {{convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on}}, prove more profitable, with earlier maturity and greater yields. The cashew nut is edible and is eaten on its own as a [[snack]], used in recipes, or processed into cashew cheese or [[cashew butter]]. The nut is often simply called a 'cashew'. The cashew apple is a light reddish to yellow fruit, whose pulp and juice can be processed into a sweet, [[astringent]] fruit drink or fermented and distilled into liquor.

In 2023, 3.9 million [[ton]]s of cashew nuts were harvested globally, led by the [[Ivory Coast]] and [[India]]. In addition to the nut and fruit, the shell yields derivatives used in lubricants, waterproofing, and paints.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jostock |first=Carolyn |title=Encyclopedia of Latin American history and culture |date=2008 |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |isbn=978-0-684-31590-4 |editor-last=Kinsbruner |editor-first=Jay |edition=2nd |series=Gale eBooks |location=Detroit, Mich |page=176 |editor-last2=Langer |editor-first2=Erick Detlef |editor-last3=Gale (Firm)}}</ref> 

==Description==

The cashew tree is large and [[evergreen]], growing to {{convert|14|m|ft|abbr=off}} tall, with a short, often irregularly shaped trunk.<ref name="eb">{{cite web |date=7 April 2020 |title=Cashew |url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/cashew |access-date=8 May 2021 |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> The [[leaves]] are spirally arranged, leathery textured, elliptic to obovate, {{convert|4-22|cm|abbr=off|frac=4}} long and {{convert|2-15|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}}  broad, with smooth margins. The [[flower]]s are produced in a [[panicle]] or [[corymb]] up to {{convert|26|cm|abbr=on}} long; each flower is small, pale green at first, then turning reddish, with five slender, acute [[petal]]s {{convert|7-15|mm|sp=us|frac=8}} long. [[Cashew of Pirangi|The largest cashew tree in the world]] covers an area around {{convert|7500|m2|ft2|abbr=on}} and is located in [[Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte|Parnamirim]], [[Brazil]].{{cn|date=June 2023}}

The fruit of the cashew tree is an [[accessory fruit]] (sometimes called a pseudocarp or false fruit).<ref name=morton>{{cite book|url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/cashew_apple.html|title=Cashew apple, ''Anacardium occidentale'' L.; In: Fruits of Warm Climates|publisher=Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana |isbn=978-0-9610184-1-2|year=1987|author=Morton, Julia F.|author-link=Julia Morton|pages=239–240|access-date=18 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315023810/http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html|archive-date=15 March 2007|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="cabi">{{cite web |title=''Anacardium occidentale'' (cashew nut) |url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/5064 |publisher=CABI |access-date=8 May 2021 |date=20 November 2019}}</ref> What appears to be the fruit is an oval or pear-shaped structure, a [[hypocarpium]], that develops from the [[Pedicel (botany)|pedicel]] and the receptacle of the cashew flower.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Varghese |first1=T. |last2=Pundir |first2=Y. |year=1964 |title=Anatomy of the pseudocarp in ''Anacardium occidentale'' L. |journal=Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Section B |volume=59 |issue=5 |pages=252–258 |doi=10.1007/BF03052341 |s2cid=83230755}}</ref><ref name="duke">{{cite web |author1=James A Duke |title=''Anacardium occidentale'' L. |url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Anacardium_occidentale.html |publisher=Handbook of Energy Crops. (unpublished); In: NewCROP, New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University |access-date=10 December 2019 |date=1983}}</ref><ref name="eb" /> Called the cashew apple, better known in Central America as {{lang|es|marañón}}, it ripens into a yellow or red structure about {{convert|5–11|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} long.<ref name="morton" /><ref name="duke" />

The true fruit of the cashew tree is a [[kidney]]-shaped or [[boxing glove]]-shaped [[drupe]] that grows at the end of the cashew apple.<ref name="morton" /> The drupe first develops on the tree and then the pedicel expands to become the cashew apple.<ref name="morton" /> The drupe becomes the true fruit, a single [[Nutshell|shell]]-encased [[seed]], which is often considered a [[Nut (fruit)|nut]] in the culinary sense.<ref name="morton" /><ref name="duke" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kapinga |first1=F. A. |last2=Kasuga |first2=L. J. F. |last3=Kafiriti |first3=E. M. |title=Growth and production of cashew nut |url=https://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C10/E1-05A-45.pdf |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Soils, Plant Growth and Crop Production |publisher=Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems}}</ref> The seed is surrounded by a double-shell that contains an allergenic [[natural phenol|phenolic]] resin,<ref name="duke" /> [[anacardic acid]] - which is a potent skin [[Irritation|irritant]]<ref name="eb" /> chemically related to the better-known and also [[toxin|toxic]] allergenic oil [[urushiol]], which is found in the related [[poison ivy (plant)|poison ivy]] and [[lacquer tree]].

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Anacardium occidentale - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-010.jpg|Botanical illustration
|Cajueiro Meconta.jpg|Tree in [[Mozambique]], southeastern Africa
|Anacardium occidental (Bangla - কাজুবাদাম).jpg|Trunk in [[Bangladesh]]
|Cashew Flower.JPG|Flowers|
Pollen grains of Cashew tree.jpg|Pollen grains of Cashew tree
|Young cashew nuts.jpg|Young fruits
|Cashew fruit.jpg|Fruits sold as produce
}}

==Etymology==

The English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree: {{wikt-lang|pt|Caju}} ({{IPA|pt|kaˈʒu}}), also known as {{wikt-lang|pt|acaju}}, which itself is from the [[Tupi language|Tupi]] word {{lang|tup|acajú}}, literally meaning "nut that produces itself".<ref name=morton /><ref name=cabi/>

The [[generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Anacardium'' is composed of the Greek prefix ''ana-'' ({{langx|grc|[[wikt:c-|ἀνά-]]|aná|up, upward|label=none}}), the Greek ''cardia'' ({{langx|grc|καρδία|kardía|heart|label=none}}), and the [[Neo-Latin]] suffix {{wikt-lang|la|-ium}}. It possibly refers to the heart shape of the fruit,<ref>{{cite book|last=Quattrocchi|first=Umberto|title=World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-37OBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA266|year=2016|publisher=CRC|isbn=978-1-4822-5064-0|page=266|quote= referring to the shape of the fruit}}</ref> to "the top of the fruit stem"<ref>''Merriam-Webster'': "from the heartlike shape of the top of the fruit stem"</ref> or to the seed.<ref>{{cite book|author=George Milbry Gould|title=An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences: Including the Pronunciation, Accentuation, Derivation, and Definition of the Terms Used in Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vlZQAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA73|year=1898|publisher=P. Blakiston|page=73|quote= {{lang|grc|ἀνά}}, up; {{lang|grc|καρδία}}, the heart, from its heart-shaped seeds}}</ref>  The word ''anacardium'' was earlier used to refer to ''[[Semecarpus anacardium]]'' (the marking nut tree) before [[Carl Linnaeus]] transferred it to the cashew; both plants are in the same family.<ref>{{cite book|author=Hugh F. Glen|title=What's in a Name|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eMgaXGsBEWIC&pg=PA3|year=2004|publisher=Jacana|isbn=978-1-77009-040-8|page=3|quote= (Greek ana = upwards + kardia = heart); applied by 16th-century apothecaries to the fruit of the marking nut, ''Semecarpus anacardium'', and later used by Linnaeus as a generic name for the cashew.}}</ref> The [[epithet]] ''occidentale'' derives from the Western (or Occidental) world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/occidental|publisher=The Free Dictionary|title=Occidental|access-date=6 March 2020|date=2020}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat ==
The species is native to tropical South America<ref name=powo>{{cite web|title=Anacardium occidentale L. |work=Plants of the Word Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Kew |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:319068-2 |access-date=31 March 2024 }}</ref> and later was distributed around the world in the 1500s by [[Portuguese explorers]].<ref name=morton/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hort.cornell.edu/4hplants/Fruits/Cashew.html|title=Cashew|publisher=Department of Horticulture, Cornell University|date=20 October 2015|access-date=16 March 2019}}</ref><ref name=duke/> Portuguese colonists in Brazil began exporting cashew nuts as early as the 1550s.<ref>Carolyn Joystick, "Cashew Industry" in ''Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture'', vol. 2, p. 5. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.</ref> The Portuguese took it to [[Goa]], formerly [[Estado da Índia Portuguesa]] in India, between 1560 and 1565. From there, it spread throughout Southeast Asia and eventually Africa.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

==Cultivation==
{{owidslider
|start        = 2023
|list         = Template:OWID/cashew nut production#gallery
|location      = commons
|caption      =
|title        =
|language     =
|file         = [[File:cashew nut production, World, 2023 (cropped).svg|link=|thumb|upright=1.6|Cashew nut production]]
|startingView = World
}}

{| class="wikitable floatright"  style="width:16em; text-align:left;"
|-
! colspan=2|Cashew production<br />(with shell) 2023<br/>
|-
| Country ||Tonnes
|-
| {{CIV}} || {{right|1,044,450}}
|-
| {{IND}} || {{right|782,000}}
|-
| {{VNM}} || {{right|347,634}}
|-
| {{IDN}} || {{right|164,152}}
|-
| {{PHL}} || {{right|136,264}}
|-
!'''World''' !! {{right|'''3,934,839'''
|-
|colspan=2 |{{small|Source: [[FAOSTAT]] of the [[United Nations]]<ref name="faostat">{{cite web|title=Cashew production in 2023; pick lists from world regions/production quantity/year|url=https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL|publisher=[[FAOSTAT]] of the [[United Nations|UN]]|access-date=6 February 2025|date=2025}}</ref>}}
|}

The cashew tree is cultivated in the tropics between 25°N and 25°S, and is well-adapted to hot lowland areas with a pronounced dry season, where the mango and tamarind trees also thrive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Infopaks/cashew.htm|title=Cultivating Cashew Nuts|publisher=ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops, South Africa|access-date=15 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221195301/http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Infopaks/cashew.htm|archive-date=21 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The traditional cashew tree is tall, up to {{cvt|14|m}}, requiring three years from planting before it starts production, and eight years before economic harvests.<ref name=PNACR262>{{cite web|author=Ian Duncan|title=Growers Manual for Production of Cashew: Nursery and Plantation|series=Nicaragua Agriculture Reconstruction Assistance Program |publisher=United States Agency for International Development|location=Managua, Nicaragua|url=https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACR262.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007214448/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACR262.pdf|archive-date=7 October 2006}}</ref><ref name=mekarsari>{{cite book |editor-last1= Davison |editor-first1= Julian |date= 1995 |title= Fruit of Indonesia |location= Jakarta |publisher= PT Mekar Unggul Sari |page=47 |isbn= 981-3018-11-9}}</ref>

More recent breeds, such as the dwarf cashew trees, are up to {{cvt|6|m}} tall and start producing after the first year, with economic yields after three years. The cashew nut yields for the traditional tree are about {{cvt|0.25|MT}} per hectare, in contrast to over a ton per hectare for the dwarf variety. Grafting and other modern tree management technologies improve and sustain cashew nut yields in commercial orchards.<ref name=PNACR262/><ref>{{cite web|author=Desai A.R.|author2= S.P. Singh|author3= J.R. Faleiro|author4= M. Thangam|author5= S. Priya Devi|author6= S.A. Safeena|author7= N.P. Singh|display-authors=3|year=2010|title=Techniques And Practices For Cashew Production|series=Technical Bulletin No. 21|publisher=ICAR Research Complex for Goa |location=Goa, India |url=https://ccari.icar.gov.in/TB%20No.21.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240607044215/https://ccari.icar.gov.in/TB%20No.21.pdf|archive-date= 7 June 2024}}</ref>

===Production===
In 2023, global production of cashew nuts (as the kernel) was 3.9 million [[tonne]]s, led by Ivory Coast and India with a combined 46% of the world total (table).

=== Trade ===
Almost all cashews produced in Africa between 2000 and 2019 were exported as raw nuts which are much less profitable than shelled nuts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelle |first=Patrick |date=2022-02-28 |title=Can Africa cash in on its cashew nut domination? |url=https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/can-africa-cash-in-on-its-cashew-nut-domination/140693/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=How we made it in Africa |language=en-US}}</ref> One of the goals of the [[African Cashew Alliance]] is to promote Africa's cashew processing capabilities to improve the profitability of Africa's cashew industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-09-29 |title=ACA seeks creation of cashew development fund to enhance raw nuts processing in Africa |url=https://guardian.ng/features/agro-care/aca-seeks-creation-of-cashew-development-fund-to-enhance-raw-nuts-processing-in-africa/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}</ref> Half of the world's cashews were sold by American retailer [[Costco]], as of 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Howe |first=Ben Ryder |date=2024-08-20 |title=How Costco Hacked the American Shopping Psyche |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/20/dining/costco.html |access-date=2025-06-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Toxicity==
Some people are [[allergic]] to cashews, but they are a less frequent [[allergen]] than other tree nuts or [[peanut]]s.<ref name="Rosen">{{cite journal |last=Rosen |first=T. |author2=Fordice, D. B. |date=April 1994 |title=Cashew Nut Dermatitis |journal=Southern Medical Journal |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=543–546 |doi=10.1097/00007611-199404000-00026 |pmid=8153790}}</ref> For up to 6% of children and 3% of adults, consuming cashews may cause [[food allergy|allergic reactions]], ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening [[anaphylaxis]].<ref name="Weinberger">{{cite journal |last1=Weinberger |first1=Tamar |last2=Sicherer |first2=Scott |year=2018 |title=Current perspectives on tree nut allergy: a review |journal=Journal of Asthma and Allergy |volume=11 |pages=41–51 |doi=10.2147/jaa.s141636 |issn=1178-6965 |pmc=5875412 |pmid=29618933 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="allen">{{cite journal |author=McWilliam V. |author2=Koplin J. |author3=Lodge C. |author4=Tang M. |author5=Dharmage S. |author6=Allen K. |year=2015 |title=The prevalence of tree nut allergy: a systematic review |journal=Current Allergy and Asthma Reports |volume=15 |issue=9 |page=555 |doi=10.1007/s11882-015-0555-8 |pmid=26233427 |s2cid=36209553}}</ref><ref name="eu">{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Cashew Allergies |url=http://foodallergens.ifr.ac.uk/food.lasso?selected_food=15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029202125/http://foodallergens.ifr.ac.uk/food.lasso?selected_food=15 |archive-date=29 October 2010 |publisher=Informall Database – funded by European Union}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Food allergies |url=https://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/No_03_allergy_June06_en.pdf |publisher=World Health Organization, International Food Safety Authorities Network}}</ref> These allergies are triggered by the proteins found in tree nuts, and cooking often does not remove or change these proteins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cashew - allergy information (InformAll: Communicating about Food Allergies - University of Manchester) |url=http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/informall/allergenic-food/index.aspx?FoodId=15 |access-date=2022-09-14 |website=research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk}}</ref> Reactions to cashew and tree nuts can also occur as a consequence of hidden nut ingredients or traces of nuts that may inadvertently be introduced during food processing, handling, or manufacturing.<ref name="allen" /><ref name="eu" /><!--
An estimated 1.8 million Americans (between 0.4%–0.6% of the population) have an [[Tree nut allergy|allergy to tree nuts]]. Young children are most affected; and tree nut allergies tend to last for a lifetime. Some regions of the world have higher incidence rates than others.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tree nuts – allergy education|url=http://www.foodallergy.org/page/tree-nut-allergy|publisher=The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network|year=2012}}</ref><ref>[//web.archive.org/web/20100628153155/http://www.foodallergy.org/files/FoodAllergyFactsandStatistics.pdf Food Allergy Facts and Statistics for the United States]</ref>
--> 

The [[nutshell|shell]] of the cashew nut contains oil compounds that can cause [[contact dermatitis]] similar to [[poison ivy]], primarily resulting from the [[phenolic lipid]]s, [[anacardic acid]], and [[cardanol]].<ref name="duke" /><ref>{{cite journal |author=Rosen T. |author2=Fordice, D. B. |year=1994 |title=Cashew nut dermatitis |journal=South Med J |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=543–46 |doi=10.1097/00007611-199404000-00026 |pmid=8153790}}</ref> Because it can cause dermatitis, cashews are typically not sold in the shell to consumers.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 September 2013 |title=Why Cashews Aren't Sold In The Shell |url=http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/why-cashews-arent-sold-in-the-shell/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220000210/http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/why-cashews-arent-sold-in-the-shell/ |archive-date=20 February 2016 |access-date=22 February 2016 |publisher=Moment of Science, Indiana Public Media}}</ref> Readily and inexpensively extracted from the waste shells, [[cardanol]] is under research for its potential applications in [[nanomaterials]] and [[biotechnology]].<ref name="hamad">{{cite journal |author=Hamad F. B. |author2=Mubofu E. B. |year=2015 |title=Potential biological applications of bio-based anacardic acids and their derivatives |journal=Int J Mol Sci |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=8569–90 |doi=10.3390/ijms16048569 |pmc=4425097 |pmid=25894225 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Uses==

=== Nutrition ===
{{Nutritional value
| name = Cashews, raw
| kcal = 553
| carbs = 30.19 g
| starch = 23.49 g
| sugars = 5.91 g
| lactose = 0.00 g
| fiber = 3.3 g
| fat = 43.85 g
| satfat = 7.783 g
| monofat = 23.797 g
| polyfat = 7.845 g
| protein = 18.22 g
| water = 5.20 g
| vitA_iu = 0
| betacarotene_ug =
| lutein_ug =
| thiamin_mg = 0.423
| riboflavin_mg = 0.058
| niacin_mg = 1.062
| pantothenic_mg = 0.86
| vitB6_mg = 0.417
| folate_ug = 25
| vitB12_ug = 0
| choline_mg =
| vitC_mg = 0.5
| vitD_ug = 0
| vitE_mg = 0.90
| vitK_ug = 34.1
| calcium_mg = 37
| iron_mg = 6.68
| magnesium_mg = 292
| manganese_mg = 1.66
| phosphorus_mg = 593
| potassium_mg = 660
| sodium_mg = 12
| zinc_mg = 5.78
| copper_mg = 2.2
| selenium_ug = 19.9
<!-- amino acids -->| tryptophan =
| threonine =
| isoleucine =
| leucine =
| lysine =
| methionine =
| cystine =
| phenylalanine =
| tyrosine =
| valine =
| arginine =
| histidine =
| alanine =
| aspartic acid =
| glutamic acid =
| glycine =
| proline =
| serine =
| source_usda = 1
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170162/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}
Raw cashew nuts are 5% water, 30% [[carbohydrate]]s, 44% [[fat]], and 18% [[protein (nutrient)|protein]] (table). In a 100-gram reference amount, raw cashews provide 553 [[kilocalories]], 67% of the [[Daily Value]] (DV) in total fats, 36% DV of [[protein]], 13% DV of [[dietary fiber]], and 11% DV of [[carbohydrate]]s.<ref name="USDA">{{cite web |year=2015 |title=Full Report (All Nutrients): 12087, Nuts, cashew nuts, raw, database version SR 27 |url=https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3677?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=&measureby= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818022119/http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3677?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=&measureby= |archive-date=18 August 2015 |access-date=6 August 2015 |publisher=Agricultural Research Service – United States Department of Agriculture}}</ref> Cashew nuts are rich sources (20% or more of the DV) of [[dietary minerals]], including particularly [[copper]], [[manganese]], [[phosphorus]], and [[magnesium]] (79-110% DV), and of [[thiamin]], [[vitamin B6|vitamin B<sub>6</sub>]], and [[vitamin K]] (32-37% DV).<ref name="USDA" /> [[Iron]], [[potassium]], [[zinc]], and [[selenium]] are present in significant content (14-61% DV) (table).<ref name="USDA" /> Cashews (100g, raw) contain {{convert|113|mg}} of [[beta-sitosterol]].<ref name="USDA" />

=== Nut and shell ===
Culinary uses for cashew seeds in snacking and cooking are similar to those for all tree seeds called nuts.<ref name="morton" /><ref name="duke" />

Cashews are commonly used in [[Cuisine of the Indian subcontinent|Indian cuisine]], whole for garnishing sweets or curries, or ground into a paste<ref name="duke"/> that forms a base of sauces for curries (e.g., ''[[korma]]''), or some sweets (e.g., ''[[kaju barfi]]''). It is also used in powdered form in the preparation of several Indian sweets and desserts. In [[Goan cuisine]], both roasted and raw kernels of [[Goa Cashew (Kaju or Caju)|Goa Kaju]] are used whole for making curries and sweets. Cashews are also used in [[Thai cuisine|Thai]] and [[Chinese cuisine]]s, generally in whole form. In the Philippines, cashew is a known product of [[Antipolo]] and is eaten with [[suman (food)|''suman'']]. The province of [[Pampanga]] also has a sweet dessert called [[Turrón#Philippines|''turrones de casuy'']], which is cashew [[marzipan]] wrapped in white wafers. In Indonesia, roasted and salted cashews are called ''kacang mete'' or ''kacang mede'', while the cashew apple is called ''jambu monyet'' ({{abbr|lit.|literally}} 'monkey rose apple').{{cn|date=June 2023}}

In the 21st century, cashew cultivation increased in several African countries to meet the manufacturing demands for [[cashew milk]], a [[plant milk]] alternative to [[dairy milk]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Osborn M |date=26 August 2015 |title=Access to Market Data and Supply Chain Visibility offer Economic Boost to Ghana Cashew Farmers |url=http://consumergoods.edgl.com/column/Access-to-Market-Data-and-Supply-Chain-Visibility-offer-Economic-Boost-to-Ghana-Cashew-Farmers101911 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604004917/http://consumergoods.edgl.com/column/Access-to-Market-Data-and-Supply-Chain-Visibility-offer-Economic-Boost-to-Ghana-Cashew-Farmers101911 |archive-date=4 June 2016 |access-date=11 May 2016 |publisher=Consumer Goods Technology}}</ref> In Mozambique, ''bolo polana'' is a cake prepared using powdered cashews and mashed potatoes as the main ingredients. This dessert is common in South Africa.<ref>{{cite book |author=Phillippa Cheifitz |title=South Africa Eats |year=2009 |publisher=Quivertree Publications |isbn=978-0-9814287-2-7 |oclc=519442115}}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Women preparing cashew, Burkina Faso.jpg|Women shelling cashews in [[Burkina Faso]], West Africa
|Shelling cashews.jpg|A woman using a machine to shell cashews in Thailand, wearing gloves to protect against [[contact dermatitis]]
|CashewSnack.jpg|Salted, roasted cashew nuts
|Cashew - sprout.jpg|Cashew sprouts are eaten raw or cooked.}}

===Husk===
The cashew nut kernel has a slight curvature and two [[cotyledon]]s, each representing around 20-25% of the weight of the nut. It is encased in a reddish-brown membrane called a husk, which accounts for approximately 5% of the total nut. Cashew nut husk is used in emerging industrial applications, such as an [[Adsorption|adsorbent]], [[Composite material|composites]], [[biopolymer]]s, [[dye]]s, and enzyme synthesis.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Khalid Zafeer |first1=Mohd. |last2=Subrahmanya Bhat |first2=K. |date=2023-01-01 |title=Valorisation of agro-waste cashew nut husk (Testa) for different value-added products |journal=Sustainable Chemistry for Climate Action |volume=2 |article-number=100014 |doi=10.1016/j.scca.2023.100014 |issn=2772-8269|doi-access=free |bibcode=2023SCCA....200014K }}</ref>

=== Apple ===
{{See also|Cajuína}}

The mature cashew apple can be eaten fresh, cooked in curries, or fermented into vinegar, citric acid,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Africa |first=Nigeria |date=2022-07-17 |title=How Nigeria can turn its huge cashew waste into valuable citric acid |url=https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/international/how-nigeria-can-turn-its-huge-cashew-waste-into-valuable-citric-acid/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=Moneyweb}}</ref> or an alcoholic drink.<ref name="duke" /> It is also used to make preserves, chutneys, and jams in some countries, such as India and Brazil.<ref name="duke" /> In many countries, particularly in South America, the cashew apple is used to flavor drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic.<ref name="morton" /><ref name="eb" />

In Brazil, cashew fruit juice and fruit pulp are used to make sweets, and juice mixed with alcoholic beverages such as ''[[cachaça]]'', and as flour, milk, or cheese.<ref name="Edi Souza">{{cite web |author=Edi Souza |date=28 July 2018 |title=It's cashew time at the fair and on the plate (translated) |url=https://www.folhape.com.br/diversao/diversao/sabores/2018/07/28/NWS,76213,71,513,DIVERSAO,2330-E-TEMPO-CAJU-FEIRA-PRATO.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821223527/https://www.folhape.com.br/diversao/diversao/sabores/2018/07/28/NWS,76213,71,513,DIVERSAO,2330-E-TEMPO-CAJU-FEIRA-PRATO.aspx |archive-date=21 August 2018 |access-date=21 August 2018 |publisher=Folha de Pernambuco |language=pt}}</ref> In Panama, the cashew fruit is cooked with water and sugar for a prolonged time to make a sweet, brown, paste-like dessert called {{lang|es|dulce de marañón}} ({{lang|es|marañón}} being a Spanish name for cashew).<ref>{{Cite web |last=O |first=Odalys |date=2011-10-15 |title=Dulces de mi campiña, Panamá: Dulce de Marañón |url=https://chefodys3.blogspot.com/2011/10/dulce-de-maranon.html |access-date=2021-09-22 |website=Dulces de mi campiña, Panamá}}</ref>

Cashew nuts are more widely traded than cashew apples, because the fruit, unlike the nut, is easily bruised and has a very limited shelf life.<ref name="Strom-2014">{{cite news |last=Strom |first=Stephanie |date=8 August 2014 |title=Cashew Juice, the Apple of Pepsi's Eye |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/09/business/international/cashew-juice-the-apple-of-pepsis-eye.html |access-date=24 November 2015 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Cashew apple juice, however, may be used for manufacturing blended juices.<ref name="Strom-2014" />

When the apple is consumed, its [[astringency]] is sometimes removed by steaming the fruit for five minutes before washing it in cold water. [[Steeping]] the fruit in boiling salt water for five minutes reduces the astringency.<ref>{{cite book |author=Azam-Ali and Judge |url=http://www.fao.org/3/a-ac306e.pdf |title=Small-scale cashew nut processing |publisher=FAO, United Nations |year=2004 |access-date=3 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215021318/http://www.fao.org/3/a-ac306e.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In Cambodia, where the plant is usually grown as an ornamental rather than an economic tree, the fruit is a delicacy and is eaten with salt.<ref name="dyphon" />

===Alcohol===
In the Indian state of [[Goa]], the ripened cashew apples are mashed, and the juice, called "neero", is extracted and kept for fermentation<ref name="duke" /> for a few days. This fermented juice then undergoes a double distillation process. The resulting beverage is called ''[[Feni (liquor)|feni]]'' or fenny. ''Feni'' is about 40-42% alcohol (80-84 proof). The single-distilled version is called ''[[urrak]]'', which is about 15% alcohol (30 proof).<ref name="how-kaju-feni-is-made">{{cite web |title=Cashew Drink Stages |url=https://www.goaonline.in/about/tourism/how-kaju-feni-is-made |access-date=7 April 2021 |website=www.goaonline.in}}</ref> In Tanzania, the cashew apple (''bibo'' in [[Swahili language|Swahili]]) is dried and reconstituted with water and fermented, then distilled to make a strong liquor called ''gongo''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Eating in Tanzania |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/tanzania/in-location/eating/a/nar/0ea61029-2f97-4a70-b083-95460b55cf05/355640 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815074019/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/tanzania/in-location/eating/a/nar/0ea61029-2f97-4a70-b083-95460b55cf05/355640 |archive-date=15 August 2019 |access-date=2021-10-08 |website=Lonely Planet |language=en}}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Distilling caju apple liquor in Mogovolas.jpg|Distilling cashew apple liquor (''muchekele'') in Mozambique, southeastern Africa
|Shrivelled and fermented cashew apples ready for distillation.jpg|Cashew apples spread for drying and subsequent storage before reconstitution in water and later fermentation, Mozambique
}}

=== Nut oil ===
Cashew nut oil is a dark yellow oil derived from pressing the cashew nuts (typically from lower-value broken chunks created accidentally during processing) and used for cooking or salad dressing. The highest quality oil is produced from a single cold pressing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smartkitchen.com/resources/cashew-oil|title=Cashew Oil|publisher=Smart Kitchen|access-date=15 February 2015|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080124/http://www.smartkitchen.com/resources/cashew-oil}}</ref>

=== Shell oil ===
{{See also|Urushiol}}

Cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) or cashew shell oil ([[CAS registry number]] 8007-24-7) is a natural [[resin]] with a yellowish [[Paint sheen|sheen]] found in the [[honeycomb structure]] of the cashew nutshell, and is a byproduct of processing cashew nuts. Since it is a strong irritant, it should not be confused with edible cashew nut oil. It is dangerous to handle in small-scale processing of the shells, but is itself a raw material with multiple uses.<ref name=hamad/> It is used in tropical [[folk medicine]] and for anti-[[termite]] treatment of timber.<ref name=clay />  Its composition varies depending on how it is processed.
* Cold, [[Liquid–liquid extraction|solvent-extracted]] CNSL is mostly composed of [[anacardic acids]] (70%),<ref name=cen/> [[cardol]] (18%), and [[cardanol]] (5%).<ref name=hamad/><ref name=epa>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/hpv/pubs/summaries/casntliq/c13793rr3.pdf|title=Exposure and Use Data for Cashew Nut Shell Liquid|publisher=[[United States Environmental Protection Agency]]|access-date=12 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512194341/http://www.epa.gov/hpv/pubs/summaries/casntliq/c13793rr3.pdf|archive-date=12 May 2013}}</ref>
* Heating CNSL [[decarboxylation|decarboxylates]] the anacardic acids, producing a technical grade of CNSL that is rich in cardanol. [[Distillation]] of this material gives distilled, technical CNSL containing 78% cardanol and 8% cardol (cardol has one more [[hydroxyl]] group than cardanol).<ref name=epa/> This process also reduces the degree of thermal [[polymerization]] of the unsaturated alkyl-phenols present in CNSL.
* Anacardic acid is also used in the chemical industry for the production of cardanol, which is used for resins, coatings, and frictional materials.<ref name=cen>{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/cen-v086n033.p026|title=A Nutty Chemical|date=8 September 2008 |volume=86|issue=36|pages=26–27|author=Alexander H. Tullo|journal=[[Chemical and Engineering News]]}}</ref><ref name=epa />

These substances are skin allergens, like [[Toxicodendron vernicifluum#Lacquer|lacquer]] and the oils of poison ivy, and they present a danger during manual cashew processing.<ref name=clay>{{Cite book|last=Clay|first=Jason|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_RU8D9kB714C&q=nutshell+liquid&pg=PA268|title=World Agriculture and the Environment: A Commodity-By-Commodity Guide To Impacts And Practices|date=March 2004|publisher=Island Press|isbn=978-1-55963-370-3|language=en |page=268}}</ref>

This natural oil phenol has interesting chemical structural features that can be modified to create a wide spectrum of biobased [[monomer]]s. These capitalize on the chemically-versatile construct, which contains three [[functional group]]s: The [[aromatic ring]], the [[hydroxyl group]], and the [[double bond]]s in the flanking [[alkyl]] chain. These include [[polyols]], which have recently seen increased demand for their biobased origin and key chemical attributes such as high reactivity, range of functionalities, reduction in blowing agents, and naturally occurring fire retardant properties in the field of rigid polyurethanes, aided by their inherent phenolic structure and larger number of reactive units per unit mass.<ref name=hamad/>

CNSL may be used as a resin for [[carbon composite]] products.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ferri|first=Enrico|title=Bioresins Derived from Cashew Nutshell Oil|url=http://www.materialstoday.com/composite-processing/features/bio-resins-derived-from-cashew-nutshell-oil/|publisher=MaterialsToday|access-date=7 September 2011|date=22 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910171651/http://www.materialstoday.com/composite-processing/features/bio-resins-derived-from-cashew-nutshell-oil/|archive-date=10 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>  CNSL-based [[novolac]] is another versatile industrial monomer deriving from cardanol typically used as a [[cross-link|reticulating]] agent (hardener) for [[epoxy]] matrices in [[Composite material|composite]] applications<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=da Silva |first1=Kássia Teixeira |last2=Oliveira |first2=Beatriz S. |last3=da Silva |first3=Lucas R. R. |last4=Mattos |first4=Adriano L. A. |last5=Mazzetto |first5=Selma E. |last6=Lomonaco |first6=Diego |date=2023-01-27 |title=<scp>Bio-based</scp> novolac resins from cashew nut processing waste: Alternative resource for the development of <scp>high-value</scp> sustainable products |journal=Journal of Applied Polymer Science |volume=140 |issue=13 |doi=10.1002/app.53661 |issn=0021-8995}}</ref> providing good thermal and mechanical properties to the final composite material.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ferri |first1=Enrico |last2=Talentino |first2=Debi |date=May 2011 |title=Bio-resins from cashew nutshell oil |journal=Reinforced Plastics |volume=55 |issue=3 |pages=29–31 |doi=10.1016/s0034-3617(11)70074-1 |issn=0034-3617}}</ref>

=== Animal feed ===
Discarded cashew nuts are unfit for human consumption and the residues of oil extraction from cashew kernels can be fed to livestock. Animals can also eat the leaves of cashew trees.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Heuzé |first1=V. |last2=Tran |first2=G. |last3=Hassoun |first3=P. |last4=Bastianelli |first4=D. |last5=Lebas |first5=F. |year=2017 |title=Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) nuts and by-products |website=Feedipedia|url=https://www.feedipedia.org/node/56|access-date=2023-01-16|language=en}}</ref>

=== Other uses ===
In addition to its nut and fruit, the plant has several other uses. In Cambodia, the bark gives a yellow dye, the timber is used in boat-making, and for house-boards, and the wood makes excellent charcoal.<ref name="dyphon">{{cite book |last1=Pauline Dy Phon |title=Plants Utilised In Cambodia/Plantes utilisées au Cambodge |date=2000 |publisher=Imprimerie Olympic |location=Phnom Penh |page=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=InD2RAAACAAJ|author1-link=Pauline Dy Phon }}</ref> The shells yield a black oil used as a preservative and water-proofing agent in [[varnish]]es, cement, and as a [[lubricant]] or timber seal.<ref name=duke/> Timber is used to manufacture furniture, boats, packing crates, and [[charcoal]].<ref name=duke/> Its juice turns black on exposure to air, providing an indelible ink.<ref name=duke/>

==See also==
* [[List of culinary nuts]]
* ''[[Semecarpus anacardium]]'' (the Oriental Anacardium), a native of India and closely related to the cashew

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Cookbook}}
* {{Commons category inline|Anacardium occidentale}}

{{Nuts}}
{{Fatsandoils}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q34007}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cashews| ]]
[[Category:Anacardium]]
[[Category:Crops originating from South America]]
[[Category:Drupes]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
[[Category:Flora of Southern America]]
[[Category:Fruit trees]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of South America]]
[[Category:Nut oils]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Resins]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]