Brazil Nuts: Proven Benefits, How Many to Eat Per Day, Nutrition Facts, Calories
Brazil Nuts Can Help You Lose Weight
Even though Brazil nuts contain a relatively large number of calories, consuming a few Brazilian nuts daily can help you lose weight.
Nutritionists have found that nuts containing healthy fats (like Brazil nuts) can help improve metabolism and assist in weight loss. Researchers have discovered interesting facts about the influence of nuts in losing weight. For example, eating a few Brazil nuts in the morning can increase your feeling of satiety and reduce snacking. Consuming unsaturated fats has also been linked to better resting metabolic rate. (25)
If you want to lose weight fast, try eating a couple of Brazil nuts every morning, increase your physical activity, and eat more fiber to boost metabolism. These are just a few tweaks to help shed extra pounds.
Brazil Nuts Side Effects
There are very few side effects when consuming a few Brazil nuts daily or eating a large number at one time. However, some reported dangers of “semilla de Brazil” can include selenium toxicity and nut allergy reactions.
Brazil nut allergy
Although Brazil nuts are technically a seed, nuts from the Brazil nut tree can also cause symptoms of nut allergies.
A study into the allergy potential of Brazil nuts found that they contain proteins (forms of 2S albumin) that can result in allergic reactions. In some people, eating Brazil nuts can cause side effects like itching, hives, wheezing, swelling, diarrhea, and even anaphylactic shock. (26)
If you have an allergy to tree nuts, you should also avoid Brazil nuts.
Selenium toxicity
If you eat too many Brazil nuts you could end up with selenium poisoning. Although quite rare, Brazil nuts can cause a condition called selenium toxicity, or selenosis.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health report that selenium toxicity could result from eating large numbers of Brazil nuts over a long period of time. Each Brazil nut contains up to 91 mcg selenium per nut. Regularly consuming more than 400 mcg selenium a day could cause you to show signs of selenosis. (6)
This means that regularly eating more than 6 or 7 Brazil nuts daily could put you at risk of selenium poisoning. The dangers of eating too many Brazil nuts can include gastrointestinal upset, respiratory problems, hair loss and muscle tenderness. In rare cases, Brazil nut selenium poisoning could result in kidney failure or cardiac failure.
If you want to enjoy the many benefits of Brazil nuts, limit your portion size to 2 or 3 Brazil nuts per day.
This goes to prove that age-old adage about there being such a thing as “too much of a good thing”! Mix Brazil nuts with fruits to make a tasty, healthy snack to enjoy their health benefits.
Where to Buy Brazil Nuts?
You can buy Brazil nuts in most supermarkets, health stores, or online. You can buy Brazil nuts with or without their shells.
When you have bought your supply of Brazil nuts in your kitchen, you can eat them raw, crush them up and use as toppings on desserts, or add a couple of nuts to make yourself a delicious and nutritious smoothie.
