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Truly a sweet gift of Nature, our Raw Cashews are more vibrant, fresher and appetizing. The secret to the goodness of these little beauties is that they are hand shelled to insure a nutrient dense, Raw Cashew. They are certified organic for production and processing. Creamy and delicious, they are the perfect base for deserts, smoothies or even decadent finger food.
- Sustainable - Environmentally, Socially and Nutritionally
- Cashew nuts (Anacardium occidentale) belong to the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae and the genus Anacardium. They are closely related to the mango and the pistachio nut. The nuts are actually the seeds that are found attached to the bottom of the cashew apple (the fruit of the cashew tree).
- The definition of “raw” for the cashew industry means “not roasted”; cashew-in-shell are either boiled in oil or scorched in fire in order to condition the shell prior to cracking and speed the process. However, during that heating process the cashew degrades significantly and essential fatty acids and enzymes are destroyed.
- Our cashews are neither boiled or scorched although our supplier does use steam to assist in the shelling of the cashew nuts. While they are using the steam - which is incredibly short - they randomly test the cashew kernel for temperature. They have been very successful in keeping the kernel below 120 degrees and generally keeping it as low as 115 degrees. While it is not as precise as using no heat or steam whatsoever it does allow us to offer an excellent raw cashew at a much more affordable price and also allows for an almost limitless supply. In addition, all the cashews are still shelled by hand and machinery is never used. Further to this, we have removed the "Truly Raw" or "Really Raw" name from our cashews so as to remain 100% transparent not cause any confusion with the "Truly Raw or Really Raw" cashews on the market - but we do still call them raw.
- We still feel that the product is raw since the temperature of the kernel is well monitored as it is with all our products. If we felt the product was heated to temperatures above the temperature threshold we would of course not deem the product as raw.
- In the delicate hand-shelling process, special knives which allow producers to both pierce and split the tough outer shell of the unheated cashew nut. Once the shell has been broken to expose the cashew kernel (still nestled snuggly inside), producers use a thin stainless pick to pry the kernel out. These kernels are still encased in a thin red skin, or testa,which must be dehydrated to facilitate removal. The nuts are dehydrated at a maximum of 40º Celsius for 12-14 hours at which time the thin skin is rubbed from the kernel with cotton gloves. The nut is then returned to dehydration for a final 4-6 hours to guarantee packaging at a min of 5% moisture content. The kernels are then packed in 12 oz plastic bags to insure freshness and moisture resistance. The processing necessary for our Raw Cashews is slow, relative to conventional processing, but the high quality and unbeatable flavor are unquestionable.
- Cashews are rich in energy and nutrients, high in protein and rich in Essential Fatty Acids.
- Healthy Fat: Cashew nuts have a lower fat content than most other nuts. The fat they do contain is mostly derived from oleic acid, a monounsaturated oil. It is also considered a beauty nutrient.
- Mineral Rich: Cashew nuts are very rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Selenium is an important micro-nutrient which functions as co-factor for antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione peroxidases, one of the most powerful antioxidant in the body. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.
- Vitamin Rich: Cashews are also rich in many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish and essential for metabolism of protein, fat and carbohydrates in the body.
- Antioxidant: The nuts are also containing good amount of Zea-xanthin, an important flavonoid antioxidant, which is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes. It is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions.
Raw Organic Cashews
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Suggested Uses
- Blend in smoothies.
- Use as a creamy base for raw desserts.
- Eat by the handful.
- Mix with Hunza Raisins for a delicious pick-me-up.
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