Cajuína () is a non-alcoholic, non-carbonated

beverage A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothie ...

made of blended

cashew Cashew is the common name of a tropical evergreen tree ''Anacardium occidentale'', in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to South America and is the source of the cashew nut and the cashew apple, an accessory fruit. The tree can grow as t ...

apples. It is traditional in the northeast region of

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

, especially in the state of

Piauí Piauí ( ) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. The state has 1.6% of the Brazilian population and produces 0.7% of the Brazilian GDP. Piauí has the shortest coastline of any coas ...

. It was invented by writer and pharmacist Rodolfo Teófilo in the 1890s, who sought to find a healthier alternative to alcoholic beverages. Cajuína is produced by Appert's method—that is, heating clarified cashew juice in a sealed container. The

caramelization Caramelization (or caramelisation) is a process of browning of sugar used extensively in cooking for the resulting butter-like flavor and brown color. The brown colors are produced by three groups of polymers: (C24H36O18), (C36H50O25), and ...

of its sugars gives cajuína its flavor and distinctive golden color. The process also sterilizes the beverage, allowing it to be stored for long periods. Somewhat confusingly, a cashew-flavored carbonated soda is also popularly known as cajuína in Ceará.

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