Brazil Nuts Are One Of The Healthiest Nuts To Add To Your Plate

Seeds by definition, Brazil nuts are prominently placed on healthiest nuts lists, among the ranks of the more usual suspects, including walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios. Wonder what makes these oblong, fleshy nuts so healthy? For one, Brazil nuts are packed with monounsaturated fats and high levels of nutrients, including the trace mineral selenium, which is present in soil and found in certain foods and supplements. Selenium promotes thyroid health, and having low selenium levels may be a precursor to certain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and may cause anxiety and depression. 

And having a high selenium count isn't the only health benefit of Brazil nuts. They're also loaded with antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory and cancer preventive properties, and are thought to be beneficial to brain and heart function, too. However, you should enjoy this delicious and healthy snack sparingly, as eating too many (more than four) can lead to a toxicity called selenosis, which occurs from consuming large amounts of selenium. 

Native to the trees bearing the same name found deep in the Amazon rainforest stretching across nine South American countries (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guyana), Brazil nuts have earned international notoriety for their taste and health benefits. Still, production has slowed in recent years due to both environmental and human factors.  

Selenium occurs naturally in some soils and is found in certain foods, including pork, chicken, shellfish, and eggs . It can also be taken as a dietary supplement. 

Brazil nuts happen to be the highest food source of selenium there is, packing in approximately 68 to 91 micrograms per nut. The daily recommended intake for an adult 19 years and older is 55 micrograms, and even higher for pregnant and lactating women. Two to three nuts are all you need to meet that quota.

Going beyond that could lead to selenosis, or selenium toxicity, which can cause dizziness, joint pain, shortness of breath. In rare instances, it can lead to cardiac arrest, heart attack or kidney failure, among other potentially fatal conditions. If you snack on Brazil nuts, be sure not to overdo it to be safe and still reap the health benefits.

With their somewhat crunchy exteriors and buttery, soft flesh, Brazil nuts have a nutty and slightly vegetal flavor, with a creamy mouthfeel. They can be eaten raw or roasted, or used in baking. You'll find them in bags roasted and salted or raw, prepackaged in containers, or possibly swimming in a bin in your grocery store's bulk foods section. 

Brazil nuts make a great pick-me-up snack or a quick garnish to a charcuterie board. But they can also be used as a salad topping, or chopped and tossed into a light vinaigrette. Brazil nuts fare especially well roasted, either in the oven or on the stovetop, and they're a great, unassuming ingredient for baking, from cookies to cakes to bread. 

Regardless of how you choose to consume them, Brazil nuts pack a nutrient-dense punch. Just remember that a couple of Brazil nuts are all you need to reach the optimal daily intake of selenium.