Cashews

Cashews good for you only when you know the health benefits of cashew and why it is not one of those regular nuts you can use as snacks. Cashew (nuts) contain little fat unlike groundnut (peanut) and it is also devoid of other negative elements. It is low in cholesterol and sugar; therefore, it can be munched by most people regardless of their health conditions.

The lovers of cashew love it for many things–they love it for the ones as important as the ones we mentioned above or things as less important as the crunchy feel of cashews (nuts) for those who chew the processed nuts. The sweetness of the fruit side makes it lovely. The secondary products derived from the plant like fruit juice, milk and chocolate covered nuts can be pleasurable for those who can afford them.

In this post, we would be studying in a good amount of detail all about the cashew, the tree, the fruit, the nut, the benefits and negatives, and how to do cashew business to make profit.

What is Cashew?

Cashew can be referred to the name of the fruit of a tree plant–cashew. It can also be referred to as the tree as well as the nuts. It is a tree that grows in the tropics and was discovered in the American continent. The tree grows to a good height of forty-six feet, and the leaves never wither off completely like other trees, it only sheds its leaves temporarily in preparation for fruiting.

The tree produces fruits seasonally. In Nigeria, the tree begins the fruiting process as early as October and stops around May. The tree is popular in the states of Enugu, Benue, Kogi and Oyo in Nigeria who share the same long line of geographical location. It is also popular in tropical countries such as Ivory Coast and India. In India, cashew is creatively utilized as it’s not only eaten, it is processed into alcohol and used in some of their recipes.

The timber and wood of the cashew tree is also good for making furniture. During its fruiting season, it produces a lot of fruits. The fruits from a single tree can fill four 50kg rice bags or more.

The nuts is a cash crop that is sought in the international market. A middle aged cashew tree can produce 7kg worth of unprocessed seeds. An average cashew tree stays up to 25 years before it begins its decline in production of the fruits and then wither and dies. It is important you note that cashews good for you.

Benefits of Cashew Fruits and the Nuts

Cashew fruits popularly called the cashew apple are less eaten than the nuts all around the world. However, in Nigeria, the fruits are enjoyed by the people even though its a little bit toxic like the unprocessed seeds (you should note that the fruits or cashew apple isn’t dangerous to eat). In fact, even though some people are allergic to the fruit and its a little bit acidic, it has so many positive benefits.

It is in this section of this post that you would know why cashews good for you.

What are the Benefits of eating Cashew fruit (apple)?

What does Cashew do in the human body?

• It helps in the better circulation and production of blood.
• It contains high amount of protein, and this excess protein is sometimes responsible for its toxicity (it is safe, though).
• It improves the health situation of the heart.
• The apple helps people trying out weight loss.
• It contains many minerals such as copper, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron.
• The fruit eaten whole or blended is a sweet fruit to enjoy.
• A researcher, Jummai Abdul in Premium Times states that the fruit enhances sexual performance or ability.
• Mrs Abdul also stated that the fruit reduces the risk of one suffering stroke and heart diseases.
• She also states that cashew contains anti-oxidants that slows one’s ageing process.
• The fruit helps in the management of sore throat.

What are the Benefits of eating Cashew nuts?

• Mrs Abdul states that eating cashew nuts moderately strengthen the immune system.
• It is rich in fiber and aids in body and muscle building.
• These nuts are one of the best choices for snacks as they’re low in cholesterol.
• Alina Petre in Healthline states that Cashew nuts are rich in protein, moderate unsaturated fat, magnesium, copper, moderate carbohydrate, vitamins K and B6, phosphorus, iron, zinc and many more.
• She writes that these nuts are good for people with type 2 diabetes.
• The nuts are also good for weight loss just like the fruits.

Why you may have avoid Cashew?

Cashews good for you but in some situations if they aren’t well handled can be devastating for you. In what ways can cashew be harmful to me might be the question in your head.

• It contains some acids that makes some people allergic to eating the fruit; however, the nuts are mostly save to eat.
• In the process of preparation of the nuts, it can be dangerous to people as the hard part covering the seed is harmful to the human skin. Therefore, you’ve to be careful when preparing cashew nuts.
• For those easily allergic to oil, the nuts contain a little amount of oil, although it doesn’t contain cholesterol which is harmful to the human heart.

Notwithstanding these, cashews good for you. Having exhausted all we have to write about the benefits of cashew, we move on to examining the aspect of planting the tree, harvesting and taking the act as a business. We would cover these questions:

How do I plant cashew tree?

Cashew trees don’t grow everywhere. It grows in the tropics but not really everywhere in the tropics. It grows more in derived savannah areas like Enugu, Ebonyi, Kogi, Benue, Oyo and Ekiti States in Nigeria.

Ask and verify if the tree grows in the area you intend to plant it before you plant it, especially when you intend to do it as a plantation. Mostly it grows where there is enough sunlight but not too harsh. The tree loves laterite soil. They also need good amount of water.

The seeds to be used have to be unprocessed and dry and maximumly 4 months old. Even though it is dry, soak it overnight before planting. Use good cashew tree specie as the seeds (this is very important). Plant during rainy season or be ready to provide water until the rain begins. It shoots off 4 days to 3 weeks from the planting time.

How should I care for a cashew tree?

Once the young tree germinates, ensure it gets good supply of sunlight and water. Protect from fire. You should also protect from animals and trespassers who may violently affect the young plants in one way or another. Apply fertilizer a month before the fruiting season when it begins to sprout fruits, and weed the plantation regularly if its a plantation or around the tree.

How and when do I harvest cashew?

You harvest cashew when the cashew fruits or apples are big and ripe, and the seeds strong and deep ash in color. You harvest by using hooks, climbing the tree to pluck or using machines. In Nigeria, harvesting starts once the trees begin to produce ripe fruits and continues until the fruiting season is over.

How do I sell cashew?

You can sell cashew to people who are dealing in it. You can sell the fruits alone or the fruits and the seeds or the seeds alone. The fruits can be processed into many things same as the seed. This tree is very economically viable.

Where and how do I buy cashew fruits and nuts?

Cashews good for you. You can buy the fruits and nuts as a consumer by going to stores where it is sold. There is the raw fruits and seeds on sale, the processed nuts on sale, and the nuts used to get other recipes on sale too. Middle men know where to buy them. If you want to begin dealing in cashew nuts and fruits, we sell the affordable ones–the cheapest you can get anywhere–, Contact Us here, and receive immediate reply. 

How to do Cashew Business?

Cashew business is a profitable business when it is done in large scale. The basic idea to note about cashew business is that you must know what it takes to make it successful and you must have a good amount of money to be able to make it successful. Money and knowledge is required. Once, you have these, you should be able to do well.

In this section of this post, we would take you through the valid steps on how to do cashew business?

1. You learn about the planting, caring, harvesting and best location for cashew trees. This is important so as to be able to do a very profitable cashew business. We can guide you on this, simply Contact Us here, and receive immediate reply.

• You should be prepared to make it a large plantation and with good capital to be able to earn a good amount of profit. In Nigeria, #12 million should be enough to secure 3 hectares in a cheap place, plant and pay labourers and farm hands for the first year.

• The dwarf species of cashew grows to a good level of maturity in 4 years to produce the fruits. You should ask of the best species before planting. The shortest maturity span and productive as well. When planting, you’d make sure they’re well spaced like 8 per plot.

• You should endeavor it is cared for, adequate sunlight and water is important. Furthermore, constant weeding or applying of harmless herbicide is good. You should apply fertilizer during the wet season before it sets to produce fruit.

• You harvest the fruits when they are ripe.

• To make more profit you can sell directly to the consumers or direct to larger exporters of the produce or export them yourself. A tree can give you average of #8,000. Imagine if you have 8 trees per plot on 3 hectares of land. In 7 – 10 years, the trees should be yielding its maximum amount of fruits.

• People who are into cashew as retailers can buy directly from the farmers and process them for sale to make maximum gain. Middlemen buy from the farmers to sell to the exporters or retailers. This business in Nigeria is worth $2 billion, imagine its worth in India, Ivory Coast and other cashew producing country.

Conclusion 

Cashews good for you as a snack nuts, fruits, juice or other second hand products from cashew, and also as a business. Cashew business is profitable when you know the right steps to take and the right things to do. All about the tree, fruits and the nuts is very good for the human body and human consumption.