From Wikipedia: What appears to be the fruit of the cashew tree is an oval or pear-shaped accessory fruit that develops from the receptacle of the cashew flower. Called the cashew apple, better known in South America as "marañón", it ripens into a yellow and/or red structure about 5–11 cm long. It is edible, and has a strong "sweet" smell and a sweet taste. The pulp of the cashew apple is very juicy, but the skin is fragile, making it unsuitable for transport.(My note: this fruit makes a lovely jam, not unlike apricot jam. The oil found inside the seed pod between the nut and the shell is very corrosive and toxic to skin. The juice of the fruit itself can stain clothes permanently.)
School of Montreal experts suggests cashew extract may help treat diabetes.A new study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research shows cashew seed extract may play an important role in preventing and treating diabetic issues.The cashew is a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The plant is indigenous to northeastern Brazil.
Scientists at the School of Montreal and the University of Yaoundé in Cameroon studied how cashew products affected the responses of rat liver cells to insulin. In Canada, more than three million Canadians have diabetes and this number is supposed to reach 3.7 million by 2020, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association. (My injection: this is so hard to believe because when I arrived in Canada in my early twenties, there were not that many people with diabetes. Growing up in South Africa, I only knew of one lady who had diabetes, and certainly I knew of no children with the condition.)
In U.S.A, according to the American Diabetes Association, from the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, there are total 23.6 million children and adults in the United States - 7.8% of the population - have diabetes. 1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older each year.
Scientists viewed cashew tree leaves, bark, seeds and apples. They found that precisely the cashew seed extract increased the absorption of blood sugar by the cells. Extracts of other plant parts had no such effect, indicating that cashew seed extract likely contains active compounds, which may have potential anti-diabetic properties.
In certain people who have diabetes, a disorder called insulin resistance prevents the body from processing the hormone, which regulates energy and the processing of sugars in the body. Insufficient insulin can lead to heart or kidney diseases as time passes.
The cashew nut is a popular snack, and its rich flavor means it's often eaten on its own, lightly salted or sugared.Cashews are a staple in vegan diets. They are utilized as a base in sauces and gravies, and can take on sweet properties for frostings and cookies.They are high in protein and a raw, natural way to obtain energy.The fats and oils in cashew nuts are 54% monounsaturated fat, 18% polyunsaturated fat, and 16per-cent saturated fats (9% palmitic acid and 7% stearic acid).Since there is no cholesterol in cashew nuts they are a healthy fat food for heart patients too. And because of their high levels of monounsaturated essential fatty acids, in addition they help support healthy levels of good (HDL) cholesterol.
Here below a 4 servings recipe "The Cashew Curry" made in 45 mins having a wok or frying pan, a wooden spoon and these ingredients:
* ½ pound whole cashews
* 2 T organic extra-virgin olive oil
* 5 shallots, thinly sliced
* 5 curry leaves
* 2-in bit of lemongrass or zest of just one lemon
* 1 T coriander
* ½ t turmeric
* ½ t salt
* 2 chiles, thinly sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 slices ginger
* 15 oz unsweetened coconut milk
* 2 T cilantro, chopped
Sauté the shallots in the oil, stirring occasionally, until golden, about ten minutes.Add the curry, lemon, turmeric, chiles, garlic, ginger, and salt, and cook until fragrant, 5-10 mins.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, another 5-10 mins. Remove curry leaves and serve, with diabetic rice or brown rice (my injection: or cauli-rice).
About the writer - Linda Miller writes for http://www.
Medical references:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/
http://www3.interscience.
