24. CASHEW NUT

                                                 CASHEW NUT

Nutrition in 100 gm
Energy: 566 kcal
Carbohydrates	27.13 gm
Sugar	5.91 gm
Dietary fibre	3.3 gm
Fat	46.92 gm
Proteins	18.22 gm
Vit B1 (Thiamin)	0.423 mg
Vit B2 (Riboflavin)	0.058 mg
Vit B3 (Niacin)	1.062 mg
Pantothenic acid (Vit B5)	0.864 mg
Vit B6	0.417 mg
Vit B9 (Folate)	25 µ gm
Vitamin C (Absorbic acid)	0.5 mg
Vitamin E	0.9 µ gm
Calcium	37 mg
Iron	6.68 mg
Magnesium	292 mg
Phosphorus	593 mg
Potassium	660 mg
Zinc	5.78 mg

Cashew nut is mostly used to decorate sweets. But the cashew nut fruit (cashew apple) is very juicy and sweet. The seed is found attached to the fruit. The outer hard cover is removed to get the actual cashew nut we eat. The outer shell is used to make oil. The shell contains a dermatogenic phenolic resin, anacardiac acid, a potent skin irritant.

Cashew nut is roasted and eaten salted as a popular snack. They are also coated with chocolate and sold.

Benefits:

1. Cashew nuts are very good for the heart.

2. Teeth: Cashew nut shell liquid has anacardic acids help prevent teeth abscesses.

3. Anacardic acid is used in chemical industry for the production of cardanol, which is used for resins, coatings and frictional material.

3. Diarrhoea: The bark of the tree is scrapped and soaked overnight or boiled to make a drink for diarrhoea patient.

4. Snake bite: Seeds are ground to use as anti-venom for snake bites.

5. Cracked feet: the cashew nut oil is used as an antifungal. It is also used to cure cracked feet.

6. Leaves of the plant are used for brushing teeth.

7. The whole fruit is used to make alcohol.