Christmas day was always relaxing, having hot chocolate, playing board games and snacking on appetizers and also cracking nuts. One of the bigger nuts to crack was the Brazil nut, and this was the only time we ever ate them. I now eat 1-2 per day as a natural dietary supplement. There have been many studies and they have found out that 1 brazil nut per day can be used to stimulate a slow thyroid as it contains 96mcg of Selenium (our RDA is 55mcg). The thyroid uses selenium to convert thyroxine (T4) to its active form T3 (triiodothyronine), so a deficiency in selenium may contribute to symptoms of a sluggish thyroid. Brazil nuts are powerful antioxidants that contain heart healthy polyunsaturated fats, are rich in antioxidants, fiber and minerals which may help reduce the risk of heart disease. They can help improve brain health and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, (brain fog, lack of focus, concentration issues, poor mood) and can also improve cognitive function in older individuals with 1 brazil nut per day for 6 months.
Over 8 weeks 1 brazil nut per day can lower bad cholesterol in the body, assist in regulating blood sugar levels and help reduce oxidative stress in the body and is a natural anti-inflammatory. *Some of these medical issues I mention may be due to a deficiency in selenium in the diet, which could be why it works*
Brazil nuts are full of copper, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, thiamine and vitamin E. The reasons above are a few of many reasons to start adding these nuts into your diet today!
