Brazil nuts are available in abundant quantities in the Amazonian rainforest of Brazil and are great for your health. These nuts are pretty rich in selenium, which helps in various body functions. It not only helps regulate the thyroid gland but also helps boost the immune system. A Brazil nut tree can grow up to 200 feet and can live for 800 years. Let’s find out more about these nutritious nuts that certainly pull off a powerful nutritious punch.
It’s Great for Your Brain
Brazil nuts are rich in a compound called polyphenols which contain ellagic acid that is a great source of antioxidants and boosts the anti-inflammatory properties. These properties offer neuroprotective benefits, which also help in protecting against depression.
The key mineral in Brazil; nuts are selenium which supports key brain signaling pathways known as dopamine and GABA which supports the central nervous system and prevents certain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
It Is Great For Lowering Bad Cholesterol Levels
As it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (great for the heart) and has high fiber content and is rich in minerals, Brazil nuts have been known to lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. One or two Brazil nuts can help lower your elevated lipid levels.
It is Great For Your Thyroid Health
To maintain healthy thyroid function, you need optimal amounts of selenium. And one way of getting a healthy dose of selenium is to have two to three Brazil nuts every day. Daily consumption can improve hypothyroid levels to a great extent. Although there is not much substantial research on what happens when somebody consumes Brazil nuts for specific conditions such as Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Although, evidence suggests that Brazil nuts can help improve mood and also boosts the immune function
A Great Source of Antioxidants
Increased inflammation can increase free radical activity so you need to increase your consumption of foods that are rich in antioxidants and are free-radical scavengers. These are pretty high in antioxidants and fight against the widely circulating free radicals that are detrimental to your health. Selenium boosts glutathione peroxidase levels which can reduce inflammation effectively and reduces the ill effects of oxidative damage.
Helps in Balancing Moods
If you are suffering from anxiety and depression, chances are you may be deficient in this all-important mineral. Although you may not get results in a day it is said that just taking in 100-mcg of selenium a day for five weeks can give you great results. Also, you need to eat an awful lot of Brazil nuts a day to meet your selenium requirements, just 1-2 of Brazil nuts is more than enough. It is soft and chewy and has the right degree of crunch too, just the thing you need to fulfill your hunger pangs. Yes, these large-sized nuts are pretty filling, so just two of them can satisfy your mid-morning hunger pangs. You can also wake up to soaked Brazil nuts to aid in digestion and help you absorb the nutrients better.
Helps Lose Weight
As we said, since these power-packed nuts are pretty filling, they can be a great addition to your diet, especially for people who are trying to lose weight and keep a hawk’s eye on their calorie intake. It is high in fiber too, just the food you need to keep cravings at bay. Brazil nuts also contain an amino acid called arginine which is great for weight loss and losing fat. If you have protein powders and check the ingredient list, you will find it contains arginine.
What’s better than finding real food that contains arginine? Well, nothing really! Regular consumption of arginine-rich food can boost your metabolism and make you shed those annoying extra pounds that are so hard to lose.
Although there are immense benefits of Brazil nuts, you have got to remember that too much of it is not a good thing. So, stick to just 1 to 1.5 a day. We know it’s delicious and hard to keep it at one, but there is something called selenium toxicity which can harm your health in more ways than one.
We love having our Brazil nuts coated with dark chocolates. It is one anti-oxidant-rich snack that boosts mood, burns fat, and protects our hearts. What else can you want from a snack? We can’t think of any, can you?