Nuts, Seeds & Pastes
Cashew Nut in gelato
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) is an oil-rich tree nut used in gelato mainly as a smooth roasted paste. It contributes fat, protein and non-sugar solids for body and creaminess, with very little intrinsic sugar so it barely moves the sugar balance.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 95% |
| Water | 5% |
| Sugars | 5.9% |
| Fat | 43% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 18.2% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 5.9 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 6 |
Typical use: 6-12% of the mix as roasted cashew paste (nut solids), lower if combined with other fats.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Cashew is normally used as a 100% roasted paste. It is a fat-and-protein carrier, not a sugar source: with only about 5.9 g sugar per 100 g (nearly all sucrose), its own PAC and POD are near 6, so a typical 6-10% paste dose adds negligible freezing-point depression and sweetness. The high fat (~43 g) and abundant non-fat solids (starch, protein, fiber ~30 g) enrich body, smoothness and warm nutty flavor, and cut perceived iciness. Because it adds fat and total solids, rebalance by trimming other fats/solids and keep the sugar/PAC targets driven by your added sugars, not the nut.
Origin & background
The cashew tree is native to northeastern Brazil, where the Tupi people already used it before European contact; Portuguese traders carried it to Goa, India, and East Africa in the 16th century, and India and West Africa are now the largest producers and processors of the kernel (Anacardium occidentale, USDA/GRIN).
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy #170162 'Nuts, cashew nuts, raw' — https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170162/nutrients (water 5.20 g, protein 18.22 g, fat 43.85 g, carbohydrate 30.19 g, fiber 3.3 g, total sugars 5.91 g, sucrose 5.81 g, glucose 0.05 g, fructose 0.05 g, starch 23.5 g per 100 g)
- USDA cashew data mirror (Growables/USDA SR export) — https://www.growables.org/information/TropicalFruit/documents2/CashewUSDA.pdf
- Human Nutrition Explorer (McCance & Widdowson-derived), 'Nuts, cashew nuts, raw' — https://triagemethod.com/tools/human-nutrition-explorer/food/nuts-cashew-nuts-raw.html (water 4.8 g, protein 17.4 g, fat 38.9 g, sugars 5.5 g, starch 17.4 g per 100 g)
- Rico, Bulló & Salas-Salvadó (2016), 'Nutritional composition of raw fresh cashew kernels', Food Sci Nutr — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4779481/