Shop Gluten-Free. Shop Vegan Baking. Start Building Your Tray. Shop By Diet. Home Nuts Brazil Nuts. Reset filters. Add to Cart. Prev 1 Next. Showing of 9. About Brazil Nuts The Brazil nut tree grows up to 50 meters tall, making it one of the largest trees to grow in tropical rain forests. Tastes and Uses Brazil nuts have a delicate buttery taste and smooth texture. Brazil Nuts Health Benefits 1 Loaded with Antioxidants: Brazil nuts contain 2, times as much selenium as any other nut.
How are Brazil nuts harvested? Brazil nuts are the seeds of the Juvia tree, a huge tree that has certain botanical similarities with the coconut tree. It can reach up to 60m tall, with a trunk of up to 2 meters in diameter and is claimed to reach the age of 1, years.
It also grows very slowly and only produces the first fruits at the age of ten years. The fruits have very hard shells and contain 8 to 12 Brazil nuts each. Natural pollination is carried by the very rare type of bees, Euglossini or the orchid bees, who are very powerful and sturdy. An interesting fact is that, while the Brazil nuts are the seeds of the tree, the hard outer wooden shell of the fruit does not allow for the seeds nuts to be released.
That is why one can often see a small animal in a tropical forest, looking somewhat like a Guinea pig. A 1-ounce gram serving of Brazil nuts contains the following nutrients 1 , 2 :. Most other nuts provide less than 1 mcg, on average 3. Additionally, they have higher concentrations of magnesium, copper, and zinc than most other nuts, although the exact amounts of these nutrients can vary depending on climate and soil 3.
Finally, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of healthy fats. Brazil nuts are a rich source of selenium. In fact, they contain more of this mineral than any other nut with an average of 96 mcg per nut. However, some pack as much as mcg per nut 1 , 3.
The RDI for selenium is 55 mcg per day for adults. Selenium is a trace element that is vital for the proper functioning of your body. It is essential for your thyroid and influences your immune system and cell growth 5. Indeed, higher levels of selenium have been linked to enhanced immune function and better outcomes for cancer, infections, infertility, pregnancy, heart disease, and mood disorders 6. Although selenium deficiency is rare, many people around the world have insufficient selenium intake for optimal functioning.
For example, suboptimal selenium status has been found in people throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East 7. Brazil nuts are a highly effective way to maintain or increase your selenium intake. In fact, one study in 60 people found that eating two Brazil nuts per day was as effective as taking a selenium supplement at raising selenium levels 8.
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that lies in your throat. It secretes several hormones that are essential for growth, metabolism, and body temperature regulation. It may also increase your risk of thyroid cancer 5 , 9. One large study in China showed that people with low selenium levels had a significantly higher prevalence of thyroid disease, such as hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, and an enlarged thyroid, compared to those with normal levels This highlights the importance of getting adequate selenium intake.
Just one Brazil nut per day should deliver enough selenium to maintain proper thyroid function 1. As well as ensuring proper thyroid function, selenium may improve symptoms in people who have disorders of the thyroid.
Therefore, further research is needed 15 , Studies have shown that supplementing with selenium may improve thyroid function and delay the progression of some symptoms in people with this disease. However, more research is needed Nevertheless, including them in your diet may be a good way to ensure that your selenium status is adequate.
Brazil nuts are rich in antioxidants , which are substances that help keep your cells healthy. They do this by combating damage caused by reactive molecules called free radicals. Brazil nuts contain several antioxidants, including selenium, vitamin E, and phenols like gallic acid and ellagic acid 3. The trees themselves require at least 12 years of growth before they start to yield any nuts. Shockingly, Brazil has become a net importer of Brazil nuts, which underscores the scarcity and difficulty of cultivating these nuts.
They can be eaten alone as a snack, chopped and used in baked goods, or used to add a nice crunch to a salad. Brazil nuts are incredibly nutritious for you, but more is not necessarily better in all cases. In fact, due to the extremely high selenium content, you should limit yourself to only a few Brazil nuts a day to avoid any potential adverse effects. Also, while nutritious, Brazil nuts are very calorically dense. If you have any tree nut allergies, you should avoid Brazil nuts, as they can cause allergic reactions.
Brazil nuts are pretty versatile and can be eaten in a few different ways. They can be eaten raw, blanched, or roasted for savory flavor, or they can even be sweetened and crushed to add a crunchy topping for dessert.
Here are a few of the many practical applications of Brazil nuts. As mentioned above, there is a lot you can do with Brazil nuts. They can be incorporated into a lot of different recipes.
But did you know you can even use them to make nutritious nut milk? No products in the cart. Best Seller. Our Newsletter Sign up for our Newsletter. Table Of Contents. Brazil Nut Benefits in 30 Seconds Brazil nuts are the absolute best food source of selenium, an integral mineral for promoting optimal health.
Brazil nuts boast myriad benefits, as they have been shown to fight inflammation, combat cancer cells, boost cognitive function, regulate mood, elevate heart health, and help to regulate hormones. Roast them and eat them on their own or mixed with other nuts. Chop them and sprinkle them on a salad.
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