cashew plants contain a toxin called urushiol. It's found in the plant itself and the brown oil inside a nut's shell. It can cause burns, itches, and blisters, which is why unprocessed cashews are ...
Why Cashews And Other Foods Are So Confusing The reason we think of cashews as nuts rather than drupes is ... urushiol— the same irritant found in poison ivy and poison oak.
They are technically not nuts but seeds, originating from the cashew apple. The cashew seed is encased in a hard shell that contains a toxic resin called urushiol, which must be carefully removed ...