Tag: Poison ivy family

Fact: The 'raw' cashews you buy at the grocery store have already been heat-treated, because the shells of unprocessed cashews contain urushiol, the same toxic oil found in poison ivy. Understanding what toxins cashews contain is key to appreciating the safety of the nuts you buy from the store.

The notion of eating cashews straight from the tree is a dangerous misconception due to a naturally occurring toxin. While you can't eat raw cashew nuts raw, all store-bought cashews, including those labeled "raw," have been cooked to some degree to remove the poisonous oil that surrounds the shell.