Cashews are small pear or oval-shaped accessory fruit that grows from the receptacle of cashew flower. The cashew tree is a native to north eastern Brazil and flourishes in extreme heat in the tropical region or near the equator. The tree is about 30 feet tall and the limbs of the tree are known to strike the ground and spread easily.
The delightful cashew nuts are derived from the crab apple that grows on the tree and is loved by people all around the world. The cashew tree is closely related to the family of mango and pistachio.
The kidney shaped nut is borne as an appendage on the end of the cashew apple. The apple resembles the pear fruit and like all fruit bearing trees, the nut grows from the centre of a flower that emerges in the plant.
In order to yield the nuts, the cashew apple is allowed to fall on the ground, when ripe and then the nut is separated from it by the natives. The cashew usually hangs like a nose on one end of the fruit. The shell of the cashew nut is about 1-1.5 inches long. Basically the cashew nut has two shells; the testa and the exterior shell.
The Brazilian cashew is the most sought after. Cashews are essentially produced by the developing nations but usually it is a product loved and enjoyed by the wealthy nations. Some are even sweeter and rich in taste.
Cashews are also grown in countries like India and Vietnam. The nuts grown in India are smaller in size and crisp. Some are even sweet in taste while some may also be extremely bland. Cashews in India are usually ivory colored and savored by a good number of people both in and out of the country. On the other hand, cashews grown in Vietnam are extremely sweet in taste. In the last few years, even China has started growing cashews. Cashew plantations in India are transplanted into crops.
The deftly flavored cashew nut is available in the market throughout the year and is liked by people of all age groups. Cashew nuts are also used to garnish salads and stir fry foods. It also makes for tasty nut butter and is also an essential part of many sweet dishes.
Cashews are rich in monounsaturated fats and copper and are a good source phosphorous and magnesium as well.
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Dried Fruits
dried fruits, dry fruits, figs
Dried fruits are tasteful ingredients used to savor food and garnish desserts. It is filled with rich nutrients and offers a concentrated rupture of sugariness that can help you curb your sweet tooth. Dry fruits can be made at home by dehydrating fleshy and juicy fruits or you can also purchase them directly from the market. Raisins, dried figs, dried papayas are some of the examples of dried fruits and can be used in a variety of ways.
Dehydrating fruits and then consuming them is one of the prevalent techniques since ancient days. Dried foods are lighter since the water content gets removed but the sugar content remains intact. The high sugar content makes them energy stimulants and is good for health. The fruits are dehydrated by circulating air around them, with the help of hot air drying process. Even when left under the exposure of strong sunlight, the juicy fruits get dehydrated. The method varies from one fruit to another.
Some fruits need to be treated with sulfur oxide while drying them, so as to prevent discoloration. Drying fruits does not lead to loss of nutritional value. Though dried fruits contain small amounts of vitamin C, it lacks vitamin D and vitamin B1 (destroyed by sulfur); freeze dried fruit nutritional value is still high.
Some fruits are even treated chemically while they are being dried to avoid discoloration. The nutritional value of the fruits does not change even after you dry them. But when treated chemically with sulfur dioxide it loses vitamin D and vitamin B1, however, they contain small amounts of vitamin C in them. Nutritional value of freeze dried fruits is comparatively higher.
Dried Figs and dates contain potassium that is required by the body to sustain muscles contractions and avoid nervous breakdowns. They also contain compounds of calcium, iron, copper and magnesium.
Nuts are good energy boosters because it contains oil and lipids. Apricots are also rich in sodium and potassium. Peaches and apricots contain folic acid and iron which is very much needed for the development of RBCs in our blood.
In the drying process the moisture in the fruits decreases by 20 %. It is a healthy snack, a feasible alternative to chips or spicy stuffs and since they are temperature resistant it is easy to carry dried fruits on a trip. Usually mountain hikers and athletes prefer carrying them since they act as a viable source of energy.
Besides the above mentioned positive effects, dried fruits are also known for their delicious taste and aesthetic value. They can be taken as a snack, used to decorate confectionaries or even merry lunches or festive dinners, because of the assortment of their colors and shapes.
Dried foods are available in packs and are non perishable but it contains more calories in comparison to fresh fruits. As said earlier, nutritional value of the food also changes depending on how the fruit is dried. People who want to lose weight are usually asked to avoid dried fruits since the calorie content is high.
Some nutritional experts believe that consuming dry fruits is better than fresh fruits. For instance, dry blue berries contain antioxidants 4 times more than fresh blue berries while others recommend fresh fruits over dried fruits. They say that because of the water content fruits remain fresh, and can help to fill up your stomach more. The nutritional value of fresh fruits is also higher in most cases when compared to dried fruits.
These days, not just oriental fruits like figs and grapes, but ordinary ones like apricots, plums or pears are also being dried.
