- Discovered by the Portuguese
- The "mango of the forest"
- Where do cashew nuts sold in Germany come from?
- Cashew nuts only available roasted and pre-treated
- Planting a cashew tree in Germany
- tips and tricks
The home of the popular cashew nuts, which are often offered in nut mixes, is northeastern Brazil. The cashew trees were discovered by the Portuguese. They helped spread cashew nuts throughout their colonies in Asia and Africa.
Discovered by the Portuguese
The first Europeans to enjoy cashew nuts were the conquerors from Portugal. They brought the fruit to Europe and their colonies in Asia and Africa as early as the 16th century.
The "mango of the forest"
Cashew trees are known as the "mango of the forest" in Thailand. The trees are very similar to the mango. The seeds are also known as "elephant louse".
Cashew trees can reach a height of up to 15 meters in tropical regions.
Because of their long taproots, cashew trees are often planted to protect against erosion.
Two fruits can be harvested from the cashew tree at once, namely the so-called cashew apple and the cashew nuts.
The fruits are processed into:
- jam
- juice
- dried kernels
- cashew oil
Where do cashew nuts sold in Germany come from?
Cashew nuts are sold in Germany in supermarkets or organic shops.
The largest share is imported from Brazil. Fair trade chains also offer kernels from African production to support the local economy.
Cashew nuts only available roasted and pre-treated
In Germany, only treated cashew nuts are commercially available. They are roasted to get them out of the very hard shell. The brown skin that surrounds the kernels is removed by a further roasting process.
The shell contains an oil that is toxic. The cashew nuts themselves can cause symptoms in people with histamine intolerance.
Planting a cashew tree in Germany
Cashew trees require a tropical climate and only thrive in high humidity.
These site conditions can only be created in the greenhouse. Cashew trees that also bear fruit can be grown there.
To sow a cashew tree, the kernels must be untreated. You can hardly get them in Germany.
tips and tricks
Cashew is the English name for tree and kernels, which has also become common in Germany. The name originally comes from the language of the Tupa Indians. “Acaju” means “kidney tree” there, which probably refers to the curved shape of the kernels.