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Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America

By Andrew F. Smith

Published 2004

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Cashews (Anacardium occidentale) are native to tropical South America. The Portuguese introduced cashews to East Africa, Indonesia, and India, where they quickly spread to the Malabar coast and southwestern India. The Spanish introduced cashews to their colonies in the Caribbean, Central America, and the Philippines. Cashews were first imported into the United States shortly after the Civil War. Although their origins are in the New World, cashews are not a major crop in any country of the Americas. In the early twenty-first century, India led the world in production. Raw or roasted, salted or not, cashews are favorites for snacking, and they are the most important dessert nut after almonds. Cashews are lower in fat than other commonly consumed nuts.

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