Food - Drink
Cashews Are Technically Not Nuts. Here's What They Actually Are
By NICO DANILOVICH
When you think of the most popular types of nuts, you might imagine chestnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews, and more, but out of the five varieties we just listed, only chestnuts and hazelnuts are actually nuts. Most "nuts" that aren't actually nuts are considered legumes or seeds, but which category do cashews belong to?
Mainly grown in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas, cashews are enjoyed by many for their large size, crunchy texture, and buttery taste, so you may be surprised to learn that cashew nuts are actually just big seeds. Plus, the fruits that cashews come from aren't scientifically considered fruits, either.
Cashew plants grow a bountiful supply of fleshy "drupes" (also called cashew apples) with a large central seed that protrudes from the bottom. This seed is harvested and processed into the cashews you can buy at the store, and other "nuts" that are actually the seed of a fruit include almonds, macadamias, and pecans.