Cashew Juice

Cashew juice is extracted from the fruit of the cashew tree instead of the dry nut that is found hanging from the fruit. The cashew nut is a popular snack unlike the juice of the fruit which is considered to be both a healthy as well as a rare drink. The juice is a popular beverage in Central and South America and considered to be an exotic drink elsewhere. As such, it is not widely available in USA and can be found only in certain specialty stores of the country. The drink is, however, quite popular in Brazil where the cashew apple or the fruit grows indigenously. The fruit also grows in West Africa and the Western part of India but the juice is rarely consumed in these parts due to lack of effective processing mechanisms. 

The juice is rich in tannins and extremely astringent and requires lengthy processing before it can be made fit for consumption. It contains an exceedingly high amount of Vitamin C and tastes extremely sour. The juice when extracted and served after processing looks very similar to the grapefruit juice but is extremely acidic which is exacerbated by adding lime juice in South America.

Taste for the juice has to be acquired although it is believed to become mellow after a few initial sips. The after taste is nutty and quite unlike other fruit juices. The juice is available as a concentrate and has to be diluted with water before drinking. Some people prefer to add a sweetener in order to improve the taste.

Cashew Juice Benefits

• It is extremely rich in Vitamin C and has displayed anti ageing properties.
• It can effectively counteract the cancer of the reproductive system in women.
• The phenol present in it can slow melanin formation and prevent darkening of the skin as well as freckles and spots.
• Its regular intake can prevent scurvy.
• It helps to ward off infections by boosting up the immune system.
• It is beneficial as a detoxifier of the body as it helps to cleanse the digestive system by eliminating worms successfully.
• In the unprocessed form it is used to treat sore throats in Cuba.
• It is also considered to be a powerful diuretic by medical experts.

Cashew Apple Juice: Buying Tips

• Freshly processed juice is sold by roadside vendors in Brazil.
• Thailand is the only country to sell bottled juice of cashew apples.

 Trivia

The cashew apple is trampled by foot and the cashew juice thus extracted is fermented to produce feni, an alcoholic beverage popular in Goa, India.