What are Brazil nuts? Origin, use and usage

Brazil nuts have a unique taste, high nutritional content and this nut is being sought after by many people. Let’s learn about this special nut and its benefits to health with Tnhelearning.edu.vn.

Origin of Brazil nuts

Brazil Nuts are harvested from the Bertholletia Excelsa tree, a tree that lives in the Amazon jungle.

Origin of Brazil nuts

This tree is a large and long-lived plant in the Amazon forest, with a trunk from 1 to 2 m wide, a height of up to 50 m, a life cycle from 500 years to 1000 years.

The nut of this plant has seeds that contain many nutrients

Because this tree is not only a precious tree, but it also produces nuts that are rich in nutrients, and to avoid them being over-cut, the Brazilian government has enacted a ban on other trees from Bertholletia Excelsa.

However, people and businesses are allowed to harvest nuts from this tree, the countries that usually harvest and export Brazil nuts are Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and the Ivory Coast.

Brazil Nuts Nutrition

Brazil nuts are rich in protein , minerals , vitamins , fiber and fat, the most of which is selenium , a substance that plays an important role in metabolism, antioxidant, immune system. translation and in reproduction, especially this fruit is very good for male sperm.

Brazil nuts are rich in protein, essential minerals and fats

Consider 1 Brazil nut, which contains 68 to 91 micrograms (mcg) of selenium, while the nutritional equivalent of selenium a day is 55 mcg.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a three-cup serving of Brazil nuts contains the following nutrients:

• 99 calories.
• 2.15 grams (g) of protein.
• 10.06 g fat.
• 1.76 grams of carbohydrates.
• 1.10 grams of fiber.
• 109 milligrams (mg) of phosphorus.
• 99 mg of potassium.
• 56 mg of magnesium.
• 24 mg calcium.
• 0.61 mg of zinc.
• 0.36g iron.
• 0 mg sodium.

From the nutritional index in 3 Brazil nuts, this nut can provide all the essential nutrients that humans need in 1 day.

Benefits of Brazil almonds

From the nutritional content shows, Brazil nuts are very good for human health. Here are some typical uses of this seed.

Anti-inflammatory, reduce stress and prevent atherosclerosis effectively

In addition to selenium, Brazil nuts also contain powerful antioxidants such as vitamin E and phenols such as gallic acid or ellagic acid.

Anti-inflammatory, reduce stress and prevent atherosclerosis effectively

In particular, selenium has another effect of increasing the level of an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase (GPx) that helps reduce stress, effectively reduce inflammation, and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Another three-month study involved volunteers being treated for kidney failure when they ate one Brazil nut per day. The results showed that their selenium and GPx ratios were increased, their inflammatory markers and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced.

Prevention and prevention of cancer

Prevention and prevention of cancer

Phenols such as gallic acid or ellagic acid and selenium are antioxidants, so they also have certain effects with cancer prevention. In particular, selenium is helping to reduce and prevent the incidence of cancer. Ellagic acid is also a bactericidal agent, eliminating harmful free radicals to help protect the body.

Elevate and clear the mood

Elevate and clear the mood

Serotonin found in almonds helps regulate mood, helps with colds and from there, it has a positive effect on sleep and increases your appetite. So if you feel stressed or in a bad mood, try eating a few nuts and you will see the difference immediately.

Improve heart health

The fats in nuts are heart-healthy fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, all of which will help improve blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Improve heart health

One study found that eating a few Brazil nuts containing 290 mcg of selenium per day for 8 weeks significantly increased levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol, preventing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Supports thyroid function

The thyroid gland is an important endocrine gland that secretes a number of hormones necessary for growth, metabolism, and body temperature regulation.

Selenium plays an important function in controlling and regulating the functioning of this part of the body to function properly and keep it functioning properly.

Supports thyroid function

Of the foods, Brazil nuts have the highest selenium content, with only 7 seeds containing 544mcg of selenium for the body in 1 week. However, you have to be careful and use the right dosage, on average you should eat only 1 seed.

Improve brain function

Brazil nuts contain ellagic acid and selenium, which are extremely beneficial for your brain. Ellagic acid is a type of polyphenol that, in addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has protective and antidepressant effects.

Improve brain function

Selenium is also needed for brain health and functioning. In one study, older adults with cognitive impairment ate one Brazil nut daily for 6 months. These older adults also showed verbal fluency and mental stability.

Furthermore, low selenium levels have also been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Improve white skin, treat acne

Selenium in nuts also plays an important role in cell cycle, providing natural nutrients to the skin. The abundant antioxidants in Brazil nuts help stimulate the production of glutathione, which fights skin-damaging free radicals.

Improve white skin, treat acne

At the same time, vitamin E in Brazil nuts also maintains the integrity of the cells of the mucous membranes and skin, making the skin whiter and healthier.

The zinc in this seed reduces skin redness and promotes collagen production , eliminating toxins from the body, preventing the onset of acne.

Supports hair growth

Supports hair growth

Selenium also plays an essential role in hair health, deficiency of this substance leads to hair loss and baldness. Therefore, the use of Brazil nuts can improve hair growth and hair health, keeping hair healthy and shiny.

Good for male reproductive health

Selenium helps improve sperm quality and health

In particular, selenium is essential for men, because it helps improve sperm quality and health, and enhances the natural testosterone hormone in the male body. In addition, the antioxidants present in Brazil nuts help protect sperm from free radical damage.

How to choose and use seeds properly

Brazil nuts can be eaten directly or roasted like butter, roasted with salt or marinated in sugar, the taste will be better than eating raw, or as an additive to desserts such as fruitcakes, fondant, pudding, pesto , chocolate and in beverages.

Brazil nuts can be eaten directly or roasted like butter or salt

Milk of this nut is also quite popular, but the selenium content in milk is likely to be excessive, so you should carefully check the ingredients on the package.

In addition, they can also be crushed or oiled, to make fruit or vegetable salads, soups, and meats.

On the market, there are Brazil nuts with or without shell

Currently, on the market, there are Brazil nuts with or without shell. For the unshelled type, you can store it for 3 months in the refrigerator. As for the shell type, you can store it in cool, dry conditions for a few months, the best way to store the seeds is to put the seeds in a vacuum sealed plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator.

You can buy Brazil nuts at stores specializing in imported foods or reputable e-commerce sites such as shopee, holinut.com, … with prices from 4 80,000 – 1,500,000 VND/ kg.

Source: Healthline Magazine

Above is some information related to Brazil nut and its effects, hope through the above article to help you understand more about this nut from the Amazon jungle as well as know more about this extremely nutritious nut. .

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