Cashew is a extremely well-liked nut belonging to the family members Anacardiaceae. The English name of cashew arrives from a Portuguese phrase. It is effectively developed in the tropical climates for the cashew nut and cashew apples. The identify Anacardium refers to the form of the fruit which resembles an inverted heart. Cashew tree is small, evergreen and attains a top of 10-12 meters with an irregular trunk. The leaves are considerably spiral in shape, leathery textured, elliptic to ovate and measure about 4-22 cm in length and 2-15 cm in breadth with a easy margin. The bouquets are borne in a panicle or corymb measuring 26 cm prolonged. The bouquets are green but afterwards on flip into red with 5 slender, acute petals and are 7-15 mm extensive. The fruit of cashew tree is an accessory fruit which is pear-shaped in construction developing from the pedicel and receptacle of the flower. The fruit is recognized as cashew apple and maranon in Central America. The fruit is pale and results in being pink right after ripening and 5-11 cm prolonged. The fruit is edible with a sweet smell and sweet taste. The pulp of cashew apple is juicy but the skin is fragile so it generates issues in transportation.
The legitimate fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney shaped drupe which develops at end of the cashew apple. The drups develops initially and then the pedicel expands into cashew apple. Within just the fruit there is a single fruit recognized as cashew nut. In the botanical feeling cashew nut is basically the seed. The seed is surrounded by a really hard shell that contains allergenic phenolic resin, anarcadic acid, and a poten pores and skin irritant. The chemical character of the skin irritant is specifically identical to that of allergenic oil identified as urushiol. Some men and women are allergic to cashew nuts but the nuts are fewer allergic in comparison to other nuts and peanuts. Cashew is essentially indigenous to Brazil but the credit for the introduction of this nut in India goes to the Portuguese. From India the fruit received spread in Southeast Asia and Africa. The cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) is a byproduct manufactured soon after the processing of the cashew nut prosperous in anacardic acids. The liquid is really efficient in the remedy of teeth abscesses triggered by the Gram positive microorganisms. The bark is scraped and soaked and boiled and used for dealing with diarrhea. The gum attained from the tree is utilised in varnishing. The seeds are floor to make powders to be employed as antivenom versus the snake bites. The nut oil bears antifungal qualities. Anacardic acid is used for the output of cardanol which is applied as a frictional and coating material.
The cashew nut is used as a preferred snack which is either salted or sugared. The nuts are also covered in chocolate and are to some degree less costly than peanuts and almonds. The nut is also an vital agent in Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisines. In Indian cuisines they are applied for garnishing sweets as perfectly as other preparations. In India, specifically in Goa the cashew apple is marshed and the juice obtained is retained for fermentation for 2-3 times. The fermented juice then undergoes double distillation resulting in the creation of a beverage called as feni. The nuts are great source of energy, carbohydrates, sugars, unwanted fat, protein, nutritional fibers, vitamin B-elaborate, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and iron. The fats and oils existing in the cashew nut oil incorporate 54% monounsaturated body fat, 18% polyunsaturated extra fat and 16% saturated unwanted fat and 7% stearic acid.