Tag: Nut toxins

While celebrated for their nutritional benefits, including healthy fats, protein, and minerals, nuts and seeds also contain natural defense compounds that can be considered toxic or anti-nutrients. Understanding these substances, as well as potential contaminants like mycotoxins, is key to safely enjoying these healthy foods.

While many nuts are perfectly safe to eat raw, a surprising few, like true cashews and bitter almonds, contain naturally occurring toxins that make them inedible without processing. This highlights why you should never assume that all nuts are safe to eat raw.

An estimated 20% of purchasers of improperly processed cashews in a 1982 fundraiser experienced a severe rash due to a toxic chemical, highlighting the danger of truly raw cashews. This surprising incident underscores the importance of understanding if we can eat cashew nuts directly from their shell.

While most nuts are a healthy addition to your diet, some varieties contain natural toxins that require proper processing to be safe for consumption. This guide will help you understand exactly **what nuts have toxins** and how to enjoy them safely.