Are CASHEWS toxic?

[Purl]

I wa reading on thegardendiet.com and I read something that confused me...it's worded just like this...


"The Recipes Kids Love

Contents:
...
-Almond Butter
-Cashew Butter and Peanut Butter (Not Good!)
-Nutmilks
....."

What do you make of it? I finally got the dc on cashews and cashew butter instead of peanut butter and now I read this! I'm so confused! LOL! :p

[macybare]

I sure hope not I love cashews!

[Cinnamon]

I don't know why they'd say that but my guess is maybe because I don't believe there are really any "true" raw cashews. In the process of getting them out of the shell a higher than acceptable temperature is used making them not raw but also not roasted but the term "raw" is still used by some companies.

Now there could be some truly raw cashews out there, I just don't know of any companies that have them so maybe someone else can help us out here!

[misslinda]

another member gave this site that he goes thru for hand-shelled cashews. When you order specify you want the hand shelled otherwise, yes they use heat to remove traditionally.

http://www.glaserorganicfarms.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=GOF&Category_Code=r


:)

[danened]

In Rainbow Green Gabriel Cousens says "foods with notably high mycotoxin and fungal count are corn, peanuts, cottonseed, cashews, barley, oats, wheat and malted products." page 24-25 He only uses sprouted quinoa and sprouted buckwheat.

I love cashews though :p

[Raene]

Here's what my "Uncooking with Jameth and Kim" book says: "Cashews that are available for consumption are not raw. Even "raw" cashews are heated and will not sprout. Roasted ones are heated even more. It is our understanding that cashews need to be heated before consumption due to naturally-occurring poisons which are inactivated by heating and/or to get them out of the shell."
Hope this helps. I try and avoid them whenever possible but it seems like some raw foodists are really into them. Who knows?

[misslinda]

got this from that popular site Living-Foods.com

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/nuts.html


4.2 Cashews The cashew nut tree is a tropical tree in the plant family Anacardiacae. Other plants in the same family include the mango, the pistachio, and some less pleasant plants: poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

The raw cashew nut is enclosed in a tough, leathery shell that contains caustic, toxic substances including cardol and anacardic acid (similar to the active ingredients of poison ivy). Despite their caustic nature, these compounds have economic value and are used in industry. Together they are extracted in processing, as cashew nut shell liquid, referred to as CNSL.

Thus the challenge in cashew processing is to separate the edible nut from the toxic CNSL. Because of this, cashews require more extensive processing than other nuts. From the raw-fooder perspective, the important points in processing are as follows. 1) Pre-conditioning: the in-shell nuts are piled in heaps and kept wet with water for 1-2 days, -or- the in-shell nuts are steamed for 8-10 minutes. 2) Pre-treatment: the in-shell nuts are then immersed in a hot oil bath, kept at 170-200 deg C, for about 90 seconds. The oil bath removes some of the CNSL, and conditions the nut for shelling. Following the oil bath, the nuts may be placed in a heated centrifuge for further CNSL extraction. 3) Shelling: mechanical or manual (Indian factories use mostly manual labor) 4) Drying: the kernels are dried to a moisture content of 3%, in special chambers, at 70 degrees C, for about 6 hours. 5) Peeling - manual (as needed), or other process. One process calls for freezing the kernels, then peeling them automatically in a revolving drum.

Note that Orkos, the well-known supplier for instinctive eaters in France, sells shelled cashews that are apparently truly raw. Also, if you live in or visit certain tropical countries, you may be able to obtain raw, in-shell cashews (but then you face the difficult, potentially dangerous, problem of how to shell them, yourself).

Remarks: not sproutable; cashews ferment quickly if you try to sprout them.

Recommendations: the "raw" cashew may be steamed, deep-fried, and partially baked. They are devitalized.

[sport]

I have just purchased cashews from Shazi's site but I notice that they were supplied by Natures First Lay.
The label says Raw Cashew Nut Kernals and the info on the reverse says "can be soaked and sprouted to increase nutritional value".
Am I not to believe this.

[Sheryl]

The really raw ones are actually hand cracked, and they are not boiled in oil or burned prior to opening like most raw cashews. Basically raw cashews from anything but raw food store (we're the only ones that seem to be interested in these really raw cashews) are processed in one of two ways to make them easier to shell (cheaper really is what it's all about). They are either boiled in oil for 20 minutes, or thrown into fire until they are black. While the nut inside doesn't heat enough to look or taste roasted it very much is cooked enough to completely change the taste and texture. Personally I think this is why so many raw foodists overdo it on the cashews... they still have a bit of cooked food addiction going and don't even realize it. I could eat regular cooked raw cashews in large quantities. With the really raw ones I am satisfied with a small serving. Something's up!

Someone should ask Alissa to bring some in!

The really raw cashews have a beautiful creamy flavour, and if you get the ones with the red testsa (like the red skin on some peanuts) will actually grow. You'll find the soak & blend better too.

Cheers,
Sheryl

[macybare]

I've been getting mine from Wild Oats they say they are raw and I dig them out and not prepackaged. THey are very white and taste pretty raw. My friends say they taste like nothing however I love them HOpeing their raw.

[Sheryl]

Regular raw cashews aren't - sorry. The processing used for them is different because the outside of the shell is hard to handle. So except for people that hand shell the fresh nut, or buy really raw cashews they are heat processed. Really raw cashews are much more expensive, so the chance of happening across them in a regular store as just plain 'raw' cashews isn't too likely.

Maybe give a small bag of really raw cashews a try then you could compare yourself.

Or simply decide not to worry about it. I know many raw foodists that choose to still use products like regular 'raw' cashews. You're still miles ahead of cooked eating, and eating whole unrefined foods. I know others that save the really raw ones for special occasions, and usually use the store bought 'raw' ones.

Sheryl

[macybare]

That is so disappointing. Oh well Ill move on. I'm afraid to eat any nuts now, Ill only buy ones with shells and crack them myself. Walnuts anyone?

[JennaBoBenna]

I wa reading on thegardendiet.com and I read something that confused me...it's worded just like this...


"The Recipes Kids Love

Contents:
...
-Almond Butter
-Cashew Butter and Peanut Butter (Not Good!)
-Nutmilks
....."

What do you make of it? I finally got the dc on cashews and cashew butter instead of peanut butter and now I read this! I'm so confused! LOL! :p


Perhaps she just means that the peanut butter is not good? That's how I took it.

[rawpriestess]

You could email Jinjee and ask her

[veganman]

Is it possible that, although the surrounding temperature may be above 115, that the cashews don't get that hot?

[Rawkinlocs]

Is it possible that, although the surrounding temperature may be above 115, that the cashews don't get that hot?

That's what someone told me once. He said he did work that involved studying enzymes or something and assured me that when the shell is heated to remove them, it doesn't affect the cashew inside or destroy the enzymes. I gladly took his word for it!

[robertandenith]

we have these trees in Panama and I personally have seen that there are no such a thing as raw cashew. The shell is so darn hard that you have to toast/baked it so hot in order to get the nut out. In fact, the shell needs to get BLACK so we can get the nut out of the shell. We used to take the fruit that comes attached to the nut, and make some juice or use it in salads so yummy!!! too bad you can't find this fruit in this country not that I am aware of since the fruit it is very delicate and wouldn't handle transportation.

[robertandenith]

oh and btw, I can't eat too many of these because I get tummy aches :( too bad because they are so yummy!

[Janet]

ALL nuts and seeds can have a toxic effect on SOME people.

Not all people and not all the time, but the nut of any food....the very heart of it, has more cellular components than any other part.

Too many of one....or when combined improperly, etc.....nuts can and do bother some people. And some people can go nuts on one kind of nut, yet not be able to eat another.

[rawfigure]

ALL nuts and seeds can have a toxic effect on SOME people.

Not all people and not all the time, but the nut of any food....the very heart of it, has more cellular components than any other part.

Too many of one....or when combined improperly, etc.....nuts can and do bother some people. And some people can go nuts on one kind of nut, yet not be able to eat another.

I am not allergic to nuts but as you state some nuts have a toxic effect on me. I can feel my body reacting when I eat them, and oddly I want to keep eating them despite the odd reaction, hard to explain. Offending nuts are Peanuts & Cashews are a def. no to my body.

My body like Almonds and Pumkin.

[Evie]

HI

Ihave bought "Truly Raw Cashews" from a couple different raw food stores online. The cashews did sprout. They also had a little bit differant flavor to me. It was a little stronger than the "raw" cashews I bought at health food stores. The only problem is they are really expensive. So I can't get them often.

I just read Gabriel Cousens book this weekend. He doesn't endorse eating cashews because of myotoxins.

[veganman]

Hi everyone -

I just saw this info at Living Tree Foods:

http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/store2/faqs.asp

Scroll down to the end about the cashews.

[littleangelbear]

I buy raw cashews from Whole Foods...it's their house brand. I just sprouted some yesterday...It worked. I made Alissa's cheesecake...It was very yummy after a long 2 hr. bike ride :)

[Jordann]

It's funny there are so many different ideas about cashews!

I have often wondered about the raw cashews I bought at the store, and have had similar experiences to a few people, that they were really white and tasted much different

-- and after soaking them for 12-24 hours, they have never fermented and lately usually 50-70% of them will sprout :) That's good enough for me. :D

I'd be curious to try some of the NFL Really raw ones for example, to see if they taste differently. I'll have a cashew tasting party ;)

[exurb]

anyone ever see a real cashew in its nut shell and try to crack it? :rolleyes: Sort of like making diamonds out of carbon!

As for them "sprouting", I would need to see like a little plant coming off them to think they're raw, some nuts can just swell up and a little nub can come out of them, but not life. Any raw foodists remember when wild rice which is toasted was thought to "sprout" and be alive from just a change in shape and swelling from the water. If it greens up and makes some leaves, a plant, whatever, then I would know they're raw, but just a little doink coming out of them is meaningless as an indication of "sprouting".

[Jordann]

So the nub's not a sprout? :eek: Tis a good point, a little green shoot would be the ultimate indicator of life. Oh well, for me tha' nub's still a hundred times better than eating roasted salted nuts or dairy cheese... :rolleyes:

[heabrook]

I read in a book that you should avoid cashews to maintain optimal health. It didn't say why though...

[veganman]

anyone ever see a real cashew in its nut shell and try to crack it? :rolleyes: Sort of like making diamonds out of carbon!

As for them "sprouting", I would need to see like a little plant coming off them to think they're raw, some nuts can just swell up and a little nub can come out of them, but not life. Any raw foodists remember when wild rice which is toasted was thought to "sprout" and be alive from just a change in shape and swelling from the water. If it greens up and makes some leaves, a plant, whatever, then I would know they're raw, but just a little doink coming out of them is meaningless as an indication of "sprouting".

Exurb -

but almonds just get the nub and don't sprout......

[exurb]

veganman, many so-called raw almonds are pasteurized, you have to do some searching to find really raw ones there too. Some stuff when extricated from its shell gets damaged so it doesn't grow, but my main point is that the illusion of sprouting is not neccessarily sprouting. I noticed this difference with some really raw rice that grew a freekin' plant when sprouted, big difference from the illusion of sprouting of other non raw rice that looks like it sprouts then goes nowhere.

I'd check those almonds carefully, I buy whole ones in the shell that are expressly known to be raw, there's a big difference between how they sprout too.

[Shivananda]

There's a lot of misinformation circulating about cashews. The simple truth is that cashews are a member of the poison ivy family, and their shells CANNOT be cracked without spoiling the nutmeat inside, unless they are heated first, to deactivate the liquid caustic toxins in the middle layer of the 3 layer shell.

Period. End of story. They HAVE to be heated to yield edible netmeats.

The rawest of the available "raw" cashews try to minimize the heat gain to the nutmeat by shorter exposure to the oil bath (or other heat source used) to make the "nut" safe to extract.

And what hand-shelled means, to be totally realistic about what is actually entailed, is that old people and children break the meats out of the cooked shells with wooden mallets. It's a cottage industry in India and other cashew producing areas. And the people who do it are typically covered with rashs from the residual caustic chemicals in the shells.

This is no mystery, and no real surprise. A few minutes spent checking Google references will give you the whole scoop, well documented.

[Sheryl]

The really raw cashews on the market will actually grow and have a totally different texture than 'raw' cashews sold in stores. They are different from 'hand shelled cashews' sold more commonly. I've actually read that most cashews are hand shelled, so that's not a differentiating factor in any way.

Really raw cashews are a small market in the world; I'm not surprised there's not a full feature article on how it's done on Google. The more intensive process required to do really raw cashews could not be financially supported for the general market.

Cheers,
Sheryl

[lily]

I boiught some 'raw' cashews from Shazza's site, at vast expense, but could not get them to sprout. I felt I'd wasted my money (and wasted some tasty cashews!)

lily

[Sheryl]

If you buy the ones with the red testa still on they will usually sprout. When the red testa (it's like the red paper on a peanut) is taken off the little tip that the plant grows from is often knocked off. If you look you'll probably find a couple with the little piece still there. We use both the regular and the ones still with the red testa. The red testa is quite bitter, but the overall effect when you eat the nut is a tastier treat. I don't know why they just work well together.

Sorry you wasted your cashews Lily - better luck next time!

Cheers,
Sheryl