Should You Be Eating 2 Brazil Nuts Daily?

Social media can be a great place for tips and information but sometimes it can also add to confusion or inaccurate information. The newest trend going around is the recommendation that you should be eating 2 Brazil nuts daily. Is this a healthy recommendation or just another trend gone wrong?

What Are Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts come from South America and are technically considered a seed rather than a nut.

They are one of the highest sources of dietary selenium with one Brazil nut containing approximately 70-90 mcg. (Important to note that it’s estimated we absorb 50-70% of the Selenium available in the foods we eat).

What is Selenium

Selenium is a trace mineral, meaning our body only needs a small amount to function.

Selenium plays an essential role in reproductive health, metabolism, immunity and thyroid function.

The Daily Recommended intake of Selenium is about 55 mcg per day. However, there is also a Safe Upper Intake Level for Selenium as well, which is 400 mcg. This means that we should not be consuming more than 400 mcg of Selenium per day or we risk toxicity.

Benefits of Getting Enough Selenium

Getting enough selenium in your diet not only provides nutrients essential to reproductive health, immune health and metabolism, but some studies indicate a possible correlation between Selenium and

• Improved Heart Health
  • Brazil nuts contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially when compared to saturated fat intake
  • Brazil nuts also contain fiber, which can lead to better cholesterol and blood pressure, both of which improve heart health
• Thyroid Health
  • Ensuring adequate Selenium in the diet can help regulate thyroid hormones/health
• Anti-Inflammation

Dietary Sources of Selenium

Brazil nuts contain the highest amounts of Selenium but other dietary sources include –

• fish/shellfish
• meat/chicken/poultry
• eggs
• beans/lentils
• fortified cereal
• whole wheat bread

Selenium Deficiency

A selenium deficiency is America is rare because our soil tends to be rich in this nutrient and most Americans consume enough through grains, meat and eggs.

People living in Selenium deficient regions, undergoing dialysis or those with HIV tend to the be the populations at the highest risk of being deficient in this mineral.

Can You Get Too Much Selenium

Yes, you can. The Upper Level Limit of Selenium is 400 mcg. This means that any intake higher than this level may cause unwarranted side effects like –

• brittle hair/nails
• loss of hair/nails
• GI upset
• skin rash
• fatigue
• irritability

Should you Eat Brazil Nuts Daily?

It really all depends. Eating 2 Brazil nuts daily would provide about 140 mcg of Selenium. This is well above the recommended daily amount but far below the toxic level of 400 mcg.

However, if you are eating 2 Brazil nuts everyday but also eating a diet high in other selenium rich foods, you may be getting too much on a daily basis.

If you take a daily multivitamin or supplement you also may already be getting additional selenium as well.

It’s always a better idea to eat a wide variety of foods from different groups to ensure you are getting an array of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to functions properly. Focusing on consuming one nutrient can lead to missing out on other nutrients but eating too much of a single nutrient.

Bottom line – if you enjoy Brazil nuts and like including them in your diet, that’s great. They are a great addition to a healthy diet. However, just like everything else, too much of anything is never a great idea. I certainly don’t think you need to add them daily to your meals, especially if you are already eating other Selenium rich foods or taking a multivitamin.

It’s also a great idea to ensure you speak with your doctor, especially if you are at risk for thyroid issues or taking any medications that may interact with Selenium.