The cashew apple is not a true fruit, but the swollen stalk to which the cashew nut is attached. Cashew apples are vitamin-C rich and eaten fresh or juiced in growing areas. The cashew nut is processed and sold worldwide. The apple is often bright red, orange, or yellow in colour. Most cashew nuts labelled "raw cashew nuts" are not truly "raw".  They have been heat processed in order to remove the delicious nut from the toxic shell.