Why You Might Never Eat Cashews Again After Watching This!
Why You Might Never Eat Cashews Again After Watching This!
Remember when cashews broke the internet? Twitter could not get over the fact that the delicious nuts are grown inside cashew apples. You, of course, buy them without the shell. That’s part of the reason that cashews are so expensive, because someone has to de-shell them before they hit the grocery store. But the harvesting process for cashews is not only time and labor-intensive, it is also toxic. Cashews, it turns out, are like poison ivy and poison sumac. They can cause hyper-pigmented skin lesions and toxic hepatitis, according to health experts. To make them safe for us to eat, cashew harvesters dry the nuts, remove them from their shell, and steam or roast them.
Here is the problem: According to the Trade for Development Centre, only three percent of cashews sold on world markets are Fair Trade Certified. And a Human Rights Watch report documents how many cashew harvesters are forced to work for misery wages, and in extremely precarious conditions. And if they want safety equipment to protect against cashew toxins? They have to pay for it themselves, when available.
Cashews are undoubtedly healthy for you. They are high in protein and good for your skin, your bones, and your hair. But at what cost?
