Can having one Brazil Nut a day prevent cancer?

Nuts like cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts and pistachios are quite common and are often used in a number of recipes.

These nuts are packed with their own unique benefits and are widely used by people around the globe.

One such nut that provides a ton of benefits but isn’t that popular is Brazil Nut. It is quite expensive, which could be one of the reasons why it isn’t that famous.

Brazil Nuts are a rich source of selenium, which is an essential nutrient linked to cancer prevention.

But do you know that eating just one Brazil Nut daily can significantly lower your risk of cancer? Read on to know the details.

There have been a number of researches that link selenium with cancer prevention. It is said that selenium has a protective effect on cancer risk and should be included in the diet in one form or another. Consuming a sufficient amount of selenium might also prevent several types of cancers like- head, neck, liver, breast, esophageal, skin, prostate, colorectal, lung, bladder and blood cancer

Sufficient levels of selenium in the body are also linked to better immune function and better outcomes for infections, infertility, pregnancy, heart disease and mood disorders.

Brazil nuts are a rich source of selenium and on an average contain about 96 mcg per nut. However, some Brazil Nuts might contain as much as 400 mcg per nut. The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for selenium is 55 mcg per day for adults and it is evident that Brazil nuts offer you much more than that.

Apart from selenium, Brazil nuts contain more magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc as compared to other nuts. It is also an excellent source of heart-healthy fats.

Food items like fish, ham, chicken, pork, mushrooms and tofu also contain selenium but in very less amounts.

Caution: Consult a doctor or dietician before adding Brazil Nuts to your diet. Intake of large amounts of Brazil Nuts can increase the concentration of selenium in the body, which can pose a number of health risks.

In a study done with rats who were daily fed a Brazil nut rich diet, it was observed that Brazil nut was found to be just as powerful as sodium selenite. A parallel comparison with sodium selenite indicated that the selenium in Brazil nut and selenite selenium were equally bioactive. This adds more credit to the fact that consuming brazil nuts daily can significantly reduce the risk of cancer.

In another study done with 60 people, it was found that to raise selenium levels in the body, eating two Brazil nuts per day was as effective as taking selenium supplements.

In another study, it was found that eating Brazil nuts that contained around 290 mcg of selenium daily for 8 weeks significantly increased the good cholesterol levels (HDL) of the body.