Raw cashews--a myth?

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

 

I checked this out with Doug Graham, who has grown many a cashew tree over

the years. Doug reports that, as the fruit matures, the nut inside does

indeed solidify into what we know as the " cashew nut " .

 

However, the cashew is protected inside a double shell, and between that

shell and the " nut " is an oil toxic to humans. The " nut " must be completely

separated from the oil, and the oil discarded, before it is edible. Doug

reports that there are basically 2 ways to get rid of the oil:

 

1. By heating, typically steaming, but other methods can be used. For

example, one could partially compost the whole cashew seed or fruit, let the

heat from that process break down the oil, then remove the " nut " . I believe

this is what David Wolfe does to obtain " raw " cacao, he may do the same to

obtain " raw " cashews, I'm not certain, and I am not aware that David has

ever revealed what he DOES, preferring only to comment on what he does NOT.

In any event, heat is heat, the source matters not.

 

2. By allowing the nut to go partially rancid, by which time much of the oil

breaks down and effectively evaporates.

 

In either case, one rather obviously does not end up with fresh food.

 

I'm forwarding one my my recent writings on cashews, originally posted in

the SproutRawFood group. This writing contains additional information about

the oil itself, among other things. I imagine some people will part company

with cashews after reading both of these posts.

 

Best regards,

Elchanan

_____

 

Judy Pokras [vegwriter]

Thursday, March 12, 2009 3:58 PM

Raw cashews--a myth?

 

Gideon and Jackie Graff were in town for a workshop last weekend. They said

they went to a cashew farm in Belize and that when raw, cashews are a gel in

the center of a toxic pod. That to go from gel to solid is not possible

without high heat.

 

Have you heard something different?

 

Judy Pokras