Cashew Nuts

Cashew Nuts: Nutrition, History and Complete Cooking Guide

The cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical tree native to northeastern Brazil, producing a kidney-shaped nut that grows from the end of a swollen, fleshy receptacle called the cashew apple — a bright yellow or red fruit that is itself sweet, juicy, and highly perishable, consumed fresh and made into drinks and preserves in Brazil and parts of India. The nut grows outside the fruit in a double-shelled casing that contains a caustic oil (anacardic acid) related to the compounds in poison ivy — which is why cashews are always sold shelled and either roasted or steam-processed to neutralise this oil, and why you never see raw cashews in the shell in commerce. Portuguese colonisers brought cashews from Brazil to Goa in India in the sixteenth century as a crop to stabilise coastal soils; from Goa they spread throughout the tropics. India and Vietnam are now the world's largest processors of cashew nuts, and cashews are fundamental to Indian cooking — ground into creamy sauces (the basis of korma and many other Mughlai dishes), used whole in pilaf, fried as a garnish, and made into cashew milk and cashew cream in plant-based cooking. Cashews have become one of the most commercially important nuts globally, largely because their mild, creamy, slightly sweet flavour makes them universally appealing and extremely versatile.

Nutritional Value of Cashew Nuts

Cashews provide 553 kcal and 18.2 g of protein per 100 g, with 43.9 g of fat and 3.3 g of fibre. Unlike most nuts, cashews are relatively lower in fat and slightly higher in carbohydrates (30 g per 100 g — the highest of any common nut). The fat is predominantly monounsaturated (oleic acid, the same as in olive oil), with meaningful polyunsaturated fat and modest saturated fat. Cashews are exceptional for copper — a single 30 g serving provides approximately 60–70% of the daily copper requirement, making them one of the best dietary copper sources available. They also provide magnesium, manganese, zinc, phosphorus, thiamine (B1), B6, and folate. Iron content is meaningful as a plant source.

Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts

Cashews' outstanding copper content is their most distinctive nutritional feature — copper is essential for iron metabolism, energy production, antioxidant enzyme function (superoxide dismutase), collagen synthesis, and neurological health. Magnesium from cashews supports muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and bone health. The monounsaturated fat profile is associated with reduced LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular benefit. Despite being calorie-dense, regular nut consumption (including cashews) is consistently associated with reduced body weight in observational studies — the combination of protein, fat, and fibre produces strong satiety. Cashews are one of the higher-carbohydrate nuts and have a somewhat higher glycaemic effect than almonds or walnuts, relevant for those managing blood sugar closely.

How to Select, Store and Use Cashews

Buy raw cashews or dry-roasted unsalted for maximum versatility. Store in an airtight container — cashews have a higher moisture content than most nuts and can go stale or rancid more quickly; refrigerate for extended storage. For cashew cream: soak raw cashews overnight, drain, and blend with water to a smooth, thick cream that substitutes for dairy cream in soups, sauces, and desserts. For cashew sauce (Mughlai-style): blend soaked cashews with onion, garlic, ginger, and spices for a rich korma or tikka masala base. Dry-roast in a pan for a few minutes until golden for maximum flavour. Add to stir-fries in the final minute, use in Thai cooking, and scatter over rice dishes as a garnish.