How Cashews Grow and Why They're Expensive - Page 2

FlowerBear · ‎03-24-2018

I had no idea! They are super expensive now, I rarely buy them.

sidsmom · ‎11-25-2011

@MorningLover wrote:
Many of the women who work in the cashew industry have permanent damage to their hands from this corrosive liquid, because factories do not routinely provide gloves.

Or if they are provided gloves, they slow them down or rip.

The acid gets on their hands.

Mindy D · ‎05-23-2010

@MorningLover wrote:

Cashews belongs to the family of poison ivy and poison sumac.

Cashew nuts are removed from their shells because the seed contain a harmful substance called urushiol and also the shells have a lining that is filled with this toxic fluid, so that is the reason why cashews are not sold in their shell.

The seeds are roasted at high temperature to destroy the harmful shell oil. Eating raw, unprocessed cashew seeds means that you are ingesting this toxic chemical which can potentially be fatal.

In the case of 'raw' cashews, they are usually steamed or boiled in oils. When they are roasted, they change the color from greenish-gray color to the light brown color.

I saw something on TV about this.
Hidden agony behind our craze for cashews:
Daily Mail April 2019

Many of the women who work in the cashew industry have permanent damage to their hands from this corrosive liquid, because factories do not routinely provide gloves.

Mangos and pistachios are related to cashews and can also cause a reaction. The cashew nut and the pistachio nut are botanically related. People allergic to cashew are almost always allergic to pistachio. This is a process known as cross-reactivity. The proteins in one food are similar in structure to those in another food so both foods can cause the same reaction.

jellyBEAN · ‎04-03-2010

I do luv cashews. My fav nut. But I am alarmed at the entire process of shelling them. Isn't there any modern day machinery that would accomplish this task? These poor women ruining their hands, it must be so painful and makes me very sad to see anyone have to earn a living this way.

Flowers are nature's way of laughing

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

Black walnuts will stain your hands, too, something awful

Seems like the Egyptians would use the residue from black walnuts for

cosmetics, eye liner, etc.

I love to see women with coal black hair really use that Kohl pencil and do the Cleopatra look.

Alas, I'm fair and a blonde and I can't go to heavy on the make up.

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

@SharkE

I don’t think their hands are just stained, the article says “damaged” which sounds to me like they are injured. Makes me feel bad about all of the cashews I eat!

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

I always read where it was done by machine.

Knowing people's greed the women are probably getting exploited by somebody who knows they need the money and are cheaper.

What always scared the h*ll out of me is how the nut is like poison ivy !

Man, I get that stuff and look like a horror. Now , I'm in Tx and I don't think it can thrive down here because of the dryness, but, up in Ind. I used to get that stuff and have to go get steroid shots think it was.

another reason cashews are expensive they have to clean that urioshal whatever you call it off of them. I'll still pay for them don't care what they cost. LOL

almonds are suppose to be the best for you, though.

MorningLover · ‎10-04-2015

The process of creating viable and edible cashews is long and very hard on the harvesters. The original nut form has several tough layers that need to be discarded, and those layers are toxic. Unfortunately, many of the workers who harvest the world's cashews are paid little to nothing for their grueling work.