Selenium is an essential trace mineral that protects our body against damage by acting as an anti-oxidant. (27)
A 2017 study on the nutritional value of Brazil nuts found that they are the food with the richest source of selenium available. (3)
In fact, research carried out in 2008 found that eating just 2 Brazil nuts per day provided selenium for your daily requirements. After a 12-week period, plasma selenium levels in people who ate 10 grams of Brazil nuts (about 2 nuts) increased by over 60%. The researchers concluded that eating 2 Brazil nuts daily can prevent the need to take selenium supplements. (4)
Other studies on the nutritional benefits of consuming Brazil nuts have shown that just one Brazil nut can provide 160% RDA of selenium. (5)
Why selenium is important
Doctors from the National Institutes of Health say that selenium is critical in protecting the body from infection and oxidative damage. Selenium is also necessary for proper DNA synthesis and keeping your thyroid healthy. (6)
Low selenium levels in humans have been linked to increased risk of various diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. (27)
Apart from Brazil nuts, other dietary sources of selenium are seafood, grains, meat, eggs, and poultry. As expected, the best plant-based source of selenium is Brazil nuts.
Please read this article to find out the warning signs of selenium deficiency.
Calories in Brazil Nuts
The good news when it comes to eating Brazil nuts is that you don’t have to worry about calories.
One Brazil nut (5 g) contains just under 33 calories. When you consider that 1 – 2 of these Amazonian nuts meet your selenium requirements, it is not difficult to see why Brazil nuts are so nutritionally beneficial. (7)
Many nutritionists agree that consuming moderate amounts of nuts don’t increase body weight. In fact, eating the recommended amounts of Brazil nuts may even help you lose weight. (1)
How Many Brazil Nuts to Eat Per Day?
Brazil Nuts Serving Size
Most studies show that you should eat one or two Brazil nuts per day to get the best health benefits. The serving size for Brazil nuts should be around 10 grams (or, 0.35 oz) of these healthy nuts.
Brazil Nuts Benefits
Most of the health benefits of Brazil nuts come from the selenium content. Let’s look in more detail at scientific research that shows how regular consumption of Brazil nuts is good for you.
Brazil Nuts Have Strong Antioxidant Properties
One of the greatest benefits of Brazil nuts is that they are full of antioxidants that kill off free radicals in your body. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that free radicals are connected with premature aging, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. (8)
Research carried out in 2016 found that Brazil nuts are among the healthy foods needed to help prevent certain diseases. It was found that a diet rich in antioxidants (including nuts from the Brazil nut tree) can help to lower your risk of developing chronic diseases. (9)
One study showed that consuming 2 or 3 Brazil nuts a day provided enough antioxidants in people and it helped to lower blood pressure and fat lipids in blood. (10)
Other studies into the reasons Brazil nuts are good for you have shown that regular consumption increases glutathione. (11) Glutathione is the most important antioxidant your body produces.
You can also increase this antioxidant levels by taking N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplements.
Brazil Nuts May Prevent Cancer
Helping to prevent certain cancers is an extremely compelling reason to eat a few Brazil nuts daily.
In a 2000 Canadian study performed by scientists from the University of Montreal, researchers found that heightened levels of selenium—a key component of Brazil nuts—was associated with a reduced risk of developing colon cancer. (28) Colon cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States and you must be aware of its 10 warning signs.
Another study found that consuming Brazil nuts along with other natural ingredients could help to reduce the risk of certain cancers. The study into the effects of Brazil nuts and green tea extract found that these ingredients can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in humans. (14)
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that “Brazil nuts are a convenient source of selenium and were shown to prevent mammary cancer in rats.”
In 2018, researchers discovered that supplementing your diet with Brazil nuts to prevent cancer is better than taking inorganic selenium supplements (sodium selenite). Research uncovered the fact that organic sources of selenium (i.e., Brazil nuts) are more effectively absorbed in your small intestine. (12)
Studies into the bioavailability (the amount the body can absorb) of selenium in Brazil nuts have found that a couple of Brazil nuts are just as good as selenium supplements. Researchers found that the levels of selenium in the body were directly linked to the number of Brazil nuts consumed. Researchers report that Brazil nuts can be just as effective as taking selenium supplements for cancer prevention. (13)
As well as consuming a couple of Brazil nuts daily to help reduce your risk of cancer, you should also learn about other foods that can help prevent cancer development.
Brazil Nuts May Help Reduce Inflammation
Another health problem that Brazil nuts are good for treating is to reduce inflammation in your body.
Doctors from the Cleveland Clinic say that that chronic inflammation is connected with almost every chronic disease. This includes cancer, heart disease, depression, and diabetes. Controlling inflammation can help to reduce your risk of these chronic health conditions. (15)
A study into the nutritional benefits of consuming Brazil nuts found that even a single dose of these tasty nuts reduces inflammatory markers. Consuming between 4 and 10 Brazil nuts was effective in decreasing inflammation in the body. Researchers concluded that eating a few Brazil nuts daily could have the potential to reduce chronic inflammation. (16)
