2421 x 3645 px | 20,5 x 30,9 cm | 8,1 x 12,2 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
8 février 2008
Lieu:
Marari Beach, Mararikulam, Kerala, India
Informations supplémentaires:
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples. The cashew tree is native to northeast Brazil and during the sixteenth century, Portuguese traders introduced the cashew to Mozambique and coastal India as a soil retainer to prevent erosion on the coasts. The tree flourished and spread throughout East Africa, South America, Central America and the West Indies. Most people only know of the cashew nut and very few people in the western world have heard of the cashew apple. The cashew apple is attached to the cashew nut. The nut develops first and when it is full grown, but not ripe, the receptacle fills out and becomes plump, fleshy and pear shaped in appearance forming the cashew apple. In the sixteenth century, cashew apple juice has been used to treat fever, to re-freshen breath and to conserve the stomach. The Tikuna Tribe in northwest Amazonia considered the fruit juice to be medicinal against influenza. Latin American and West Indian populations valued the succulent Cashew Apple more desirable than the cashew nut. They would dispose of the nut as waste. In 2001 the Department of Industrial Promotion in Thailand realised the nutritional benefits of the cashew apple juice and in partnership with the local orchid near Phuket they commenced researching cashew apple juice. The project was undertaken by the faculty members of the Prince of Songkla University. Processing and packaging procedures are used to maintain the health benefits of the juice and comply with strict health regulations. The juice is being distributed successfully within Thailand as a very popular herbal drink and is known locally as the miraculous drink. end
