Why are cashew pieces cheaper than whole?

Whole nuts are used in premium nut packaging, candy and confections. For most other cashew applications (cooking, snack mixes, granola, cashew butter), halves of pieces are desired because more flavor is released from pieces and they are less expensive.

Why do whole cashews cost more?

Here’s why they’re so expensive. Cashews can cost $15 per pound at retail in the US. Each nut must be carefully extracted from its toxic shell and processed over several days. Without processing, cashews can be dangerous to touch and eat.

Why are cashews always shelled?

The cashew tree is in the same family as poison ivy and produces a similar oil. The reason cashews are sold pre-shelled is that unlike true nuts, such as hazelnuts that form a hard wall directly around the seed, cashew shells have a lining that is filled with fluid.

What happens if we eat a lot of cashew nuts?

High Oxalate Content: Cashews have a relatively high oxalate content. When eaten in large quantities, this can lead to kidney damage and other chronic health problems.

What part of a cashew is poisonous?

urushiol
It is the case that the double shell surrounding the raw cashew, which is technically a seed and not a nut, contains urushiol, a resin that can create significant skin rashes, and can be toxic when ingested.

What happens if you eat a raw cashew?

While “raw” cashews are widely sold, truly raw cashews are not safe to eat, as they contain a substance known as urushiol, found in poison ivy. Urushiol is toxic, and contact with it can trigger a skin reaction in some people.

Are store bought raw cashews safe to eat?

Even cashews labeled as raw in stores have been shelled and heat-treated, either through roasting or steaming, to remove urushiol residue. As such, you can be confident that the cashews you purchase from the store are safe to consume, as they’ve been commercially prepared to remove the naturally occurring urushiol.