BENEFITS OF BRAZIL NUTS
AntioxidantsWould help you lose weightSupport cardiovascular healthImprove the beauty of skin and hairPotentially anticarcinogenic
Right Light photo in pexels
What are Brazil nuts?
The Brazil nut is the fruit of the Amazon nut (Bertholletia excelsa). Being able to reach more than 50 m in height by 16 m in circumference, it is a giant of the amazon jungle.
Like the African baobab (adansonia digitata), the longevity of the Amazon walnut is exceptional and can reach up to 1000 years.
This tree grows mainly in Brazil, but also in other tropical regions of South America, such as Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
It is generally found in humid environments and along the banks of the Bas-Tocantins and the Madeira River in Brazil.
Brazil nuts come from a nut that grows in the Amazon.
After flowering, which takes place from August to November, the Amazon walnut produces large nuts weighing up to 1.5 kg.
Each fruit contains many elongated seeds, which in turn are protected by a hard shell. Once the seed has been peeled, a white almond wrapped in a thin reddish-brown film: the famous Brazil nut.
Brazil nuts, commonly known as Amazon nuts or Brazil chestnutstake the shape of a small croissant.
Once dried, they are eaten as is, used in cooking, or bagged for sale. Particularly oily, they are also used to make edible oil.
Brazil nut vegetable oil is also used in cosmetics for its benefits for the skin and hair.
Today, Brazil nuts are generally eaten in combination with other nuts and oilseeds: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts…
They are commonly found in mixtures energy of dried fruits and seeds.
It must be said that they do not lack nutritional assets or beneficial properties for the body.
The Brazil nut is especially recommended to fight free radicals, stimulate intestinal transit, support cardiovascular health and improve the beauty of the skin.
Some studies have also shown its potential in cancer prevention.
Nutritional composition
18 amino acids, 8 of which are essentialvitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, EFA folatesMinerals and trace elements: selenium, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, chlorine, iodine.ProteinfiberscarbohydratesFats: oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, α – linolenic acidPhenolic compounds: lignansflavonoidsPhytosterolsTriterpenes: squalanesWater
The benefits of Brazil nuts How do you eat Brazil nuts?
Brazil nuts are most commonly traded in its dry form. Beginning in December, the fruits of the Amazon nut are harvested when they fall to the ground.
They are then split open in half to extract the nuts. The nuts are dried in the sun and then sold, with or without the shell.
They can be easily found online, in organic stores, or in supermarkets that carry dried fruit in bulk. We prefer nuts sold with their brown skin (integument) because they will go rancid more quickly.
Brazil nuts are ideal as an appetizer or dessert.
Dried Brazil nuts can be eaten as an aperitif or used in the preparation of desserts: cakes, cookies, rolls, raw energy bars…
You can also make a delicious vegetable drink from brazil nuts mixing 15 g of nuts with 250 ml of water. Great on your morning cereal or in a pancake batter!
Brazil nut vegetable oil
Brazil nut vegetable oil can be used in the kitchen.
It is then used in the same way as classic walnut oil. Not recommended for cooking, add it instead to salads, cold soups, and toast.
In cosmetics, Brazil nut vegetable oil will easily integrate into your routine. of beauty.
Add a few drops to your day cream or some shea butter. It can also be applied as a hair mask to nourish and repair damaged hair.
Brazil nuts and berries
Because they are quite high in calories, Brazil nuts should not be eaten with other oil fruits that are too high in fat, such as macadamia nuts.
Instead, pair them with berries or low-fat superfoods like goji berries or acai berries, also native to Brazil.
However, beware with excess selenium: Intake should not exceed 500 micrograms (µg) per day. For your information, 100 g of goji berries provide 60 µg of selenium.
Sustainable consumption: favor organic and fair trade Brazil nuts
As usual, it is really advisable to consume walnuts of organic brazil to avoid any treatment with pesticides, to ensure a better quality of the product and to optimize your profits.
In this case, they are often sold in organic stores, so they are easy to get. Organic farming is also more respectful of the environment.
fair trade products they are chosen preferably to ensure that they support the work of small producers in South America.
The collection and sale of Brazil nuts is an important source of income for many people in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia.
Brazilian walnuts are a vulnerable species, so it is also important to support cooperatives that grow them respectfully.
Brazil nut dosage
High in calories and selenium, Brazil nuts should be consumed in moderation.
It is advised not to eat more than 30 g of nuts during the week. Although they are beneficial for health, you only have to eat one or two nuts up to date.
Contraindications and side effects
Excess selenium can have harmful effects on health: nausea, fatigue, irritability, hair loss, brittle nails… In addition, the consumption of Brazil nuts has certain contraindications:
allergy sufferers to nuts and oilseeds should avoid eating them. The consumption of Amazon nuts is not recommended for people who suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes;People with overweight or obese should consult their doctor before taking it.
Excessive consumption of Brazil nuts can cause the following side effects:
Digestive disorders (bloating, flatulence…). Cramps and stomach pain. Allergies. Weight gain.
If you experience side effects, stop taking the drug and see a doctor.
History, cultivation and market of the Brazil nut
The nuts that have always been eaten
Brazil nuts have been consumed for centuries by the peoples of South America.
According to this review on its use in the Amazon, traces have been found in a cave dating from the Paleolithic! This means that they were already consumed by the ancient hunter-gatherers of the Amazon.
Antioxidants
Brazil nuts are distinguished by their exceptional selenium content.
Although spirulina (arthrospira platensis), the bed (Lepidium Meyenii) and birch sap also contain selenium, its content being much lower than that of Brazil nuts.
With 178 µg (micrograms) of selenium per 100 g, a single walnut is enough to cover our daily needs!
Selenium is a trace element that plays an important role in fighting free radicals and protecting the body. In fact, it has an antioxidant effect and actively participates in the production of glutathione peroxidase.
This enzyme protects cells against oxidation and regenerates immune cells.
In addition, glutathione peroxidase supports the activity of antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C. Therefore, a selenium deficiency often causes decreased immunity.
As this analysis of the composition of Brazil nuts shows, they also contain vitamins, including vitamin E, and amino acids (such as methionine and cysteine) that help neutralize free radicals in the body.
This review from the Universities of São Paulo and Melbourne focused on the nutritional composition of the Brazil nut and its action on the antioxidant system.
This study from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), carried out in hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients, shows how the consumption of Brazil nuts increased the antioxidant activity of glutathione peroxidase.
It would help to lose weight
The fiber contained in Brazil nuts promotes and prolongs the feeling of satiety. Like chia seeds (Sage) and psyllium (Plantago ovata)are natural appetite suppressants that help control appetite and weight.
However, they should be eaten in moderation, as they are high in calories (702 kcal per 100 g) and high in fat.
This study from the Federal University of Goiás (Brazil), conducted in rats, examined the prebiotic properties and potential of nuts, including Brazil nuts, in the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity.
Support heart health
Like most nuts, Brazil nuts contain important nutrients for cardiovascular health.
In addition to fiber, they contain fatty acids heart healthy such as oleic acid (omega-9), stearic acid and α-linolenic acid (omega-3).
All these fatty acids help prevent cardiovascular disease maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels.
They act in particular on the concentration of LDL cholesterol or «bad cholesterol».
Finally, Brazil nuts are an interesting source of vegetable proteins that also reduce the level of «bad cholesterol», which is responsible for heart disease.
This study from the Pennsylvania State University in the United States, which includes several clinical trials, demonstrates the beneficial effects of nut consumption on the heart and coronary diseases.
Enhance the beauty of skin and hair
Whether consumed or applied as a vegetable oil, the Brazil nut contributes to the beauty of the skin thanks to its high content of Vitamin E (5.33mg per 100g).
This vitamin has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from premature aging. In addition, it repairs and helps maintain the elasticity and tone of the skin.
Brazil nut vegetable oil is softening, soothing and moisturizing. It is especially recommended for dry skin, sensitive and reactive. It can also be applied directly to the hair to repair damaged hair fibers and ends.
This human study from the Government Medical College in Srinagar, India shows the benefits of vitamin E for the skin.
Potentially against cancer
Studies have highlighted the potential of the Brazil nut in the prevention of certain cancers.
In fact, the selenium it contains, associated with vitamin E, could reduce the risk of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer.
By stimulating glutathione peroxidase activity, selenium protects cells and plays a role…