4 Ways Brazil Nuts can Benefit Your Health

Did You Know?

Brazil nuts are edible seed that grows in the Amazonian forests of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. They are usually eaten raw and celebrated for their nutritious value of high fiber, protein, thiamine, magnesium, selenium, and copper. They are the only food to provide all the selenium you need per day and research has proven their ability to support thyroid function, heart health, and reduce inflammation. The recommended intake is 1oz which is 6 nuts and one study found health benefits in participants who ate as little as 2 nuts per day. In this blog post, I will outline the 4 ways Brazil nuts are beneficial for an overall healthy lifestyle

4 Benefits of Brazil Nuts

1. Rich in Selenium

The content of selenium in brazil nuts is an impressive benefit of consumption. Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to our body for enzyme activity, protein production, and supporting a healthy immune system. It is stored in muscle tissue and the thyroid gland, and our body only needs a small amount of supplementation, which usually can come from food. The daily recommended intake for men and women is 55mcg a day, with an upper limit of 400mcg. Women who are pregnant should intake 60mcg and women who are lactating should intake 70mcg with the same upper limit of 400mcg. Selenium can come from a wide range of food sources like eggs, turkey, chicken, and fortified cereals, but brazil nuts contain the highest source. One serving of brazil nuts has 543mcg of selenium which is above and beyond the daily and the upper limit recommendation. Brazil nuts are so rich in selenium that you can eat one nut (90mcg) a day and get enough selenium. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found the effectiveness of brazil nuts in increasing selenium levels compared to selenium supplements with as little as 2 nuts per day. Therefore, researchers were able to conclude that food, more specifically brazil nuts, were an adequate source of selenium.  

2. Supports Thyroid function

Brazil nuts support thyroid function because one of the many purposes of selenium is to support the thyroid gland in metabolizing thyroid hormones. Therefore, without adequate amounts, the thyroid hormone is at risk for disease in the form of underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). One study was able to associate low selenium levels with an increase in thyroid disease in a large cross-sectional study with 6,152 participants. In the study, they were given lifestyle and diet questionnaires, a thyroid ultrasound, and serum selenium levels were monitored. Researchers discovered that those participants with low selenium had a higher prevalence of thyroid conditions compared to those with higher selenium and so concluded the association between selenium and thyroid health. 

Thyroid health is especially important to me because I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism due to stress and overall hormone imbalance. This was during a time when I was working 12-hour night shifts and I was not sleeping well or eating well. I was on medication for a few years but as I’ve transitioned my lifestyle with a priority on my health, I have come off medication and my hypothyroidism resolved. I offer this story to encourage you to be conscientious about your health because you’d be surprised at how making your health a priority can heal and restore you. I am not saying that you will be cured of illness, but that managing your health is a process of maintenance and restoration, and this can be done with intentionality.   

3. Good heart health

The ability of brazil nuts to support heart health is because selenium is utilized in the body through selenoproteins, which protect the body from cell damage among other things. One study was able to prove cardiac benefits in the form of protection against atherosclerosis, which is marked by damage to vascular walls. Another study was also able to conclude that brazil nuts can help decrease endothelial inflammatory markers, which are an early indicator of vascular disease. 

4. Reduce inflammation

Brazil nuts help reduce inflammation in their nutritious content of high selenium, polyphenols, fatty acids, and amino acid complexes. One study was able to confirm this when 10 healthy adults were given brazil nuts in different doses, after which their blood was tested for inflammatory markers. The researchers found a decrease in these markers up to 30 days after consumption. They were able to conclude the benefit of brazil nuts for anti-inflammatory purposes and proposed a further investigation in a long-term study.   

 

What Should You Do About It?

First, talk to your doctor. Especially if you take certain medications or have a medical history. Beware that the high content of selenium in brazil nuts may lead to selenium toxicity if overconsumed daily. Selenium toxicity can lead to health problems in the form of hair loss, nausea, diarrhea, skin rash or lesions, skin flushing, and more severe problems in the form of heart attack, respiratory attack, and kidney failure. So, DO NOT overeat brazil nuts. All you need is one nut a day and if you choose to consume 6, do not make it a daily habit.

How To Make It SMART

SHORT- Start including brazil nuts into your diet. They are a nutritiously dense food, so you don’t need to eat a serving size of them. Like the study mentioned above, 2 nuts a day was enough to provide adequate selenium levels. Selenium toxicity is a concern of overeating brazil nuts so, remember to eat in moderation and couple a healthy lifestyle along with it.

MEASURABLE- Since brazil nuts will not cure one singular issue, they are a dietary choice that results in overall wellness. Make them an occasional part of your day in the knowledge that you are committing to keeping and maintaining your health

ATTAINABLE- Is this something you want to implement consistently? You don’t have to eat brazil nuts every day. Include them into your diet with a rotation of other nut choices.

REASONABLE- Is it possible to implement? Brazil nuts can be an easy snack to grab when you make them accessible. I usually roast my brazil nuts and keep them in the pantry as a healthy snack choice

TIMELY- Choose to consume brazil nuts as a commitment to better health

As always,

Love yourself in health, one day at a time