Cashews are a fairly popular type of nuts coming to us from Central and South America. They grow from large evergreen trees.
Their popularity is growing what seems like every day. They are also used to make delicious nut butter! Been wondering does peanut butter go bad? Read our article to find out!
Now, they can be added to every type of meal, even dessert – because of their neutral but amazing taste. They are also a good source of protein, so those keeping a keto diet will certainly appreciate that.
Cashews also offer a range of health benefits, too. Now that you know that, you must be interested in adding cashews to your diet.
Thankfully, you saw some cashews on sale in your supermarket. You were thinking about stocking up, but you’re faced with a problem. How much time do you have to eat them before the cashews go bad?
Do cashews go bad, even? To solve the mystery – continue reading the article. We’ll cover this topic, as well as how to store cashews, and more!
Facts About Cashews
Let’s start by saying a few interesting facts about cashews before we begin talking about the serious stuff.
For example, did you know that cashews don’t grow inside the apple-like fruit? They grow outside of it – hanging from the crab apple!
Cashew trees belong in the same family of plants like poison ivy. That’s why cashews are never sold in their hulls/shells. Over 90% of the world cashew produced annually is consumed in the United States.
Let’s check out the nutritional value of 1 ounce of cashews, raw:
| Nutrient | Value | Daily value in %* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 157 | 8% |
| Total fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated fat | 2.2g | 11% |
| Potassium | 187mg | 5% |
| Total carbs | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Dietary fiber | 0.9g | 3% |
| Sugars | 1.7g | / |
| Iron | 2mg | 10% |
| Magnesium | 85mg | 20% |
Cashews are highly beneficial to human health. They also make a great idea for a snack if you’re trying to lose some weight because they contain a good amount of protein.
Eating a protein-rich diet will make you feel full for longer. So, you’ll lose weight because the meals become more infrequent.
This type of nuts is also great for:
- Decreasing levels of bad cholesterol;
- Reducing the risk of gallstones;
- Prevention and management of diabetes;
- Promoting good heart health.
Its health benefits alone are a good enough reason to introduce cashews into your diet. The amazing taste is just the plus!
Do Cashews Go Bad?
Knowing whether cashews can go bad is crucial when you’re thinking of stocking up. So, do cashews go bad?
To be completely honest – yes, cashews can go bad. No matter what you do, like all nuts – cashews will go. But, why does that happen?
Cashews go bad because they go rancid. Rancidity is a process when the oils and fats start to degrade, and this can happen even in foods, not just liquids like oil. Cashews have a pretty high count of fats, so it’s only logical that they can go rancid.
Cashews go bad, but what can you do? Well, you can adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines and the advice we’re about to give you – and you should be fine!
How To Store Cashews?
Storage is key when it comes to many foods and drinks. Correct storage is important in many ways – it saves you money, keeps your food safe and it keeps your nerves calm. Because, well, who doesn’t just lose it when they start cooking, only to find out some ingredients are no longer good?
To prevent your cashews from turning on you, make sure to follow the guidelines on the package. The manufacturer usually has the best idea on how to store the cashews.
There are some general ideas about storage, though. Since cashews are exclusively sold without the hull, they will go rancid faster than other nuts that are sold intact.
If you like your cashews bought in bulk – packed in the brown bag, move them into an airtight container. They will keep fresh for longer.
So, every pre-packaged, sealed bag of cashews and containers can be kept at room temperature. Just make sure to pick a place away from sources of heat and light, as these factors can speed up the degradation of cashews.
Every sealed package keeps the cashews safe until opening. Once opened, transferring them to an airtight container is the best idea. If the bag can be sealed tightly, that’s alright too.
Do note that the cashews don’t keep very long at room temperature. If you want them to last longer, keep the airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Just make sure to use a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for the best results.
The Shelf Life Of Cashews
As we previously mentioned, cashews can go bad. Oils inside the cashews start to degrade and the cashews turn rancid. But, the real question is – how long do we have before that happens?
If you bought the cashews raw and in bulk, they have around a month at room temperature before they start to lose some freshness. If they are kept in the fridge, they will likely keep fresh for six or more months.
For those pre-packaged bags of cashews, they are usually sold with a best-by, or a best-before date printed on the label. The best-by date is usually the manufacturer’s guarantee that the food in question will retain freshness and the highest quality until the printed date.
After that date, the food will slowly start to degrade quality-wise. However, it will not go bad for quite a while afterward – you have around a month past the best-by date to finish it up. That is if the bag is stored unopened.
If you decide to open it, use it within two weeks if stored at room temperature. On the other hand, if you keep them in the fridge, you can eat the cashews in the next month.
The cashews, of course, last the longest in the freezer. There, cashews will stay fresh for around a year. This is the best way to store them if you bought a lot of nuts on sale!
How To Check If The Cashews Have Gone Bad?
We know that cashews go bad, and however sad, it happens. We can store them properly to prevent that from happening, but it will happen at some point.
So, eating rancid cashews is not the greatest idea. Since they’re usually eaten in a small quantity, it’s not likely they will make you ill. however, you can experience some small problems with digestion.
To avoid those problems from occurring, read this section carefully.
The first thing you should do to check out the cashews is to open the bag. Examine the cashews – any sight of mold or mildew is a sure sign the nuts should be taken with the trash.
Next, if the cashews seem shriveled or darker in color – they have most definitely expired. If they’re dried out and small, do the same – just throw them out.
If they look fine, do a little sniff test. Cashews should have a pleasant, nutty smell to them. If they smell unpleasant in any way, that’s a pretty good sign they’re no longer good.
If the cashews have passed the sniff test, take one and taste it. Fresh cashews have a sweetish, creamy taste. If yours, however, do not – they taste sour or bitter – they have turned rancid. To be safe, discard the entire bag.
So, if your cashews look fine, smell fine and taste fine – they’re perfectly fine and safe to eat! Just enjoy them!
Do Cashews Go Bad – Conclusion
To conclude, cashews can go bad. Furthermore, they can go bad at the worst possible moment. Eh, but what can you do?
We talked about this – you can store them properly to make sure that the worst possible moment doesn’t happen. So, the cashews should be stored in something airtight. Without the hull, they tend to degrade pretty fast because of air exposure.
If the original packaging has an airtight seal, it’s fine until it’s opened. Cashews don’t have a very long shelf life – no more than a few weeks if bought in bulk.
If you buy them packaged, they can last up for quite a while. They have a best-by date on the label, so they’re good for about a month past that date.
If, for any reason that doesn’t seem long enough – we have a trick. Cashews last longer if they’re stored in the fridge – for six more months. If half a year doesn’t do the trick – cashews are fine in the freezer for about a year.
Sometimes, life happens and you forget when did you exactly buy those cashews on sale. Luckily, there are a few tell-tale signs that they’re still fine to eat.
No sight of mold, pleasant smell, and taste gives you a green light for eating cashews. If anything doesn’t seem right – avoid them, just in case!