Brazil Nuts…the Perfect Superfood! + Recipe

Brazil Nuts are one of the most abundant sources of selenium and an excellent source of chromium.

So why do we need selenium and chromium and can’t we get it from other foods? First, a little, food for thought. Brazil nuts are the seeds of incredibly giant wild evergreen trees, native to the Amazon Valley in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. Yes, these nuts are truly exotic! This region is so important to the tree, that efforts to grow them outside of this region have been completely unsuccessful. Amazingly, the trees life span is actually 500-800 years, but it only starts to produce fruit at year 15-30. Each seed pod contains 20-25 delectable nuts. And, just one tree will provide 250 to 500 pounds of seed pods in one year! In fact, when the seed pods fall to the ground, weighing in at 4-6 pounds, they are so heavy, they could actually knock a person out! Those are some strong, super-powered nuts! (Murray, 2005)

Benefits of Brazil Nuts

Looking at their nutritional value, two Brazil nuts contain 90 calories, which seems high, but they are greatly rich in polyunsaturated fats (healthy fat) and an incredible amount of selenium. In fact, one shelled Brazil nut, offers more than what is required for the daily recommended value of this mineral! Therefore, it is super easy to add a couple of these nuts into your trail mix or oatmeal, to make sure you are getting enough of this much needed nutrient. *Note: the Brazil nuts that come in their shells, contain higher levels of selenium. If consuming deshelled Brazil nuts, which have a lower amount of selenium, increase intake to 3-4 nuts per day. (Murray, 2005)

Importance of Selenium

• Boosts immune function and is anti-inflammatory
• It helps protect the body from toxic metals
• It protects the heart and is highly anti-viral
• It is an antioxidant that promotes the activity of glutathione, which is capable of preventing free radical damage
• Powerful anti-cancer properties
  *200 mcg of selenium per day has been shown to cut cancer related deaths by 50% for those who supplemented for 5+ years

What does selenium do for us? Selenium is a trace mineral that seems to be scarce in the Standard American Diet due to the low nutrient content of our soils (soil depletion) and food products. In fact, most intriguing is the fact that selenium acts as an antioxidant in the body, working with Vitamin E to prevent cellular damage, better know as free-radicals. Free-radicals are unstable groups of atoms that can cause damage to the body.

*If you don’t have the full serving of Brazil nuts, you may always use a mix of nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and almonds.

Directions:

1. Add 1 1/2 cups of Brazil nuts to a food processor and process for about 20 – 30 seconds so there are still chunky pieces of the nuts. Then add the remaining ball ingredients and process until it is mixed well.
2. Roll 1 tablespoon of the ball mixture up into a ball then roll in the chopped Brazil nuts. Do all the mixture like this then store in an airtight container in the fridge for softer balls or the freezer for a harder consistency.

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 100, Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 190mg, Carbohydrates 4g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g, Protein 3g

*As for storage, Brazil Nuts can go rancid, so make sure to store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 1-2 months.

Bauman, E. (2015). Therapeutic Nutrition Textbook. Part 2. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College.