5 Surprising Benefits of Eating Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts, are a nutrient-dense and delicious type of nuts that come from a tree in South America bearing the same name. The tree is native to South American countries, including Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, and can often be found along the banks of major rivers. It’s quite a large tree, so the harvest of Brazil nuts is huge. These nuts are majorly exported from the South American continent and can now be found throughout the world.

* Improve Heart Health

Brazil nuts have a surprisingly high content of healthy unsaturated fats, commonly known as HDL or good forms of cholesterol or omega-3 fatty acids. This includes oleic acid and palmitoleic acid. These varieties of unsaturated fats, magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium content in Brazil nuts are connected with balancing the cholesterol profile of the body and improving heart health.

* Anti-inflammatory Food

The high ellagic acid and selenium levels in the nuts make it a top anti-inflammatory food source. Ellagic acid also has potent neuroprotective properties. Furthermore, zinc in Brazil nuts reduces inflammations and helps flush out toxins.

* Boost Testosterone

Brazil nuts, with their high selenium content, are often called a testosterone superfood. Dietary selenium can help to improve sperm quality, motility, and volume, according to a research study published in the Journal of Andrology. This, in turn, is linked with testosterone levels in men as higher the testosterone, higher the sperm count. L-arginine in the nuts is also an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction.

* Fights Cancer

The abundant antioxidants in Brazil nuts help in preventing many chronic illnesses, including cancer and coronary heart disease. The glutathione enabled by the presence of selenium is an enzymatic antioxidant that eliminates free radicals in all parts of the body that cause cancer.

* Mood Lifter

Low levels of selenium are linked to anxiety, stress, and tiredness, according to recent research. Also, nut consumption increases the metabolism of serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical, which controls mood, appetite, and sleep. Thus, regular intake of Brazil nuts rich in selenium can help relieve the various issues caused by selenium deficiency such as depression, mood issues, fatigue, and stress.