Brazil nuts are one of the most important sources of selenium compared to any food. It is loaded with many essential nutrients other than selenium.
People love it because of its numerous health benefits. Eating too many brazil nuts can have some side effects. So, you should be familiar with how many Brazil nuts should you eat per day to be on safe side.
Before moving on to the consumption amount, let’s have a short intro about Brazil Nuts.
What are Brazil Nuts?
Brazil nuts are obtained from Brazil nut tree, and it has received its name from this tree. These are the hard-shelled nut, and look similar to a coconut.
Brazil nuts are also called by the names of cream and para nuts. They provide non-animal based protein. They are also loaded with selenium. It can be eaten either in raw form or roasted form.
How Many Brazil Nuts Should You Eat Per Day?
You should be careful about how many Brazil nuts you eat per day. If you eat too many brazil nuts, it can cause selenium toxicity.
Experts suggest you can eat 1-2 brazil nuts per day.
According to Dr. Axe, eating one or two Brazil nuts is sufficient on a daily basis. It helps in regulating the healthy selenium level in the body. He also points out that Brazil nuts work better than a supplement.
There is one more expert advice about consumption of brazil nuts.
As per Professor Christine Thompson from the Department of Human Nutrition, Otago University, You can eat 2 Brazil nuts a day as it can fill up your daily need of selenium.
Selenium expert, Professor Christine Thompson suggests you should eat only a few Brazil nuts a day as the selenium may accumulate in the body tissues and cause toxicity.
She also recommends avoiding eating these nuts because they are rich in barium and thorium, although it is still yet not clear how much intake of these nuts can be harmful.
The ideal amount of eating Brazil nuts is considered to be 2.
Fitness-Spell states that if an adult eats more than 4-5 Brazil nuts, it will cause selenium toxicity. Similarly, the healthy handful logo of NutsForLife and other nutritional experts suggest eating 30g of Brazil nuts, which will also cause selenium toxicity.
Experts suggest eating 1-2 Brazil nuts on a daily basis. 1 Brazil nut has 95.9 microgram selenium. Therefore, eating only one Brazil nut can fill up your daily selenium required intake, which is 55 micrograms.
If you are going to follow the health experts suggestions to eat a small handful of unsalted nuts, then keep in mind to have a variety of nuts and not only all brazil nuts.
Research Studies About Consumption of Brazil Nuts
A study has been conducted to show the impact of eating 2 Brazil nuts daily.
In the Study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a controlled trial performed with 59 adults from New Zealand showed the impact of Brazil nuts in increasing the selenium in the body on being compared to selenomethionine.
The result of the study showed that eating two Brazil nuts per day is effective in increasing the level of selenium in the body.
The study also showed that eating Brazil nuts for two times a day also improved the activity of GPx by 100 μg Se as selenomethionine.
The Study indicates that including this nut rich in Selenium to your diet will help you to reduce the need for adding fortification or supplements to enhance selenium level in New Zealanders.
How Much Selenium in 1-ounce Serving of Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are known because of the presence of selenium in it. One ounce serving of Brazil nuts which is approximately six nuts has about 544 micrograms of selenium present within it.
Selenium in minimal amounts is required for producing selenoprotein. Selenoprotein is the enzyme needed for improving the immune system of the body. It is also necessary for regulating the function of thyroid glands within the body.
In case of adults, the tolerable amount of upper intake of selenium is considered to be 400 micrograms on a daily basis.
However, the RDA or recommended dietary allowance for selenium is lower compared to that and is 55 micrograms. So, overconsumption of Brazil nuts can lead to increased selenium toxicity in the body.
As per U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, a 1-ounce serving of dried, unblanched Brazil nuts, have 544 micrograms of selenium, which is around six to eight whole nuts.
Although, the Food and Nutrition board suggests the adult men and women eat 55 micrograms of selenium per day. One serving of Brazil nuts provides ten times of required daily intake of selenium, which can trigger selenium toxicity.
Health Benefits of Eating Brazil Nuts
Eating Brazil nuts in moderation could have numerous benefits. Therefore, some of the benefits of eating Brazil nuts are as follows:
1) Brazil nuts are loaded with essential antioxidant, Selenium, which protects the body against various diseases. This also helps in improving the male fertility of the body.
2) It also protects us against the disease of Alzheimer as it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics.
3) Brazil nuts contain MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), which is known to control the cholesterol level in the body. It also reduces the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This helps to lower the risk of coronary heart diseases.
4) Brazil nuts are also rich in Zinc, which is essentially good for skin. It also reduces the acne breakout in the skin.
5) Brazil nuts also assist in weight loss. As Brazil nuts are rich in fiber, nutrients, protein and other complex carbohydrates, which are helpful for weight loss.
Side Effects Of Eating Brazil Nuts
Eating excess quantity of selenium, be it in organic and inorganic form can have the same kind of effects.
Early Symptoms of eating the high amount of selenium include garlic odor, metallic taste in the mouth. The usual clinical signs of selenosis are hair and nail loss or brittleness.
Other symptoms overconsumption of selenium include lesions on the skin and nervous system. Too much of selenium can also cause nausea, diarrhea, rashes on the skin, irritability, fatigue, abnormalities of the nervous system and mottled teeth.
Eating too many Brazil nuts can lead to selenium toxicity. Selenium toxicity can lead to selenosis. Some of the other side effects of Brazil nuts are mentioned below:
1) It can trigger off a feeling of nausea and irritation.
2) Excessive consumption of Brazil nuts can cause nervous system problems.
3) It can also cause discolored teeth and loss of hair and nails.
4) Eating too many Brazil nuts can cause certain digestive issues.
5) In one serving, Brazil nuts contain about 186 calorie and 19 grams of fat. If you eat it in excess, it can cause increased calorie intake and lead to weight gain.
Final Thoughts
The Brazil nuts are immensely popular in the market because of its numerous health benefits. These brown nuts are rich in selenium and also have sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins.
They are loaded with vitamin E, C and thiamine and also folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc.
However, it should be consumed in moderate amounts as too much of selenium can cause selenium toxicity.
So, how many Brazil Nuts are you eating per day?