The Brazilian nut is the fruit of the Bertoletum tree, which grows in Venezuela, Peru and Colombia. The mature capsule, with a hard peel similar to that of a coconut, is full of triangular grains inside. That is, botanically speaking, the fruit is a seed, but it is called a nut for its flavor.
Due to the abundance of useful substances in its composition, Brazil’s nut is recommended that women include in their diet to strengthen the body, maintain reproductive health and improve appearance. The main thing is to respect the recommended dose, so as not to obtain damage instead of benefits.
Chemical composition and calories
The nut contains in optimal concentrations the necessary bioactive compounds for the human body:
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (the fruit is exempt from harmful cholesterol);
- Fiber, which guarantees the normal functioning of the digestive system;
- Minerals (sodium, zinc, iron, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese);
- Vitamins C (ascorbic acid), E (tocopherol), of group B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9).
Brazil nuts: a very nutritious product. Women who are on diet should know that their caloric value is 650 kcal per 100 grams. In one nut there are approximately 50 kcal. Therefore, Bertholletia’s fruits are good as a snack, but it is not recommended to eat them in large portions.
Just eat a couple of nuts to mitigate hunger with proteins and fiber, but excessive consumption due to excess calories and bioactive substances can be harmful to the figure and health.
The properties of Brazil’s nuts for the female body
Due to its high content of vitamins and selenium, Brazil’s nut favors the female reproductive and endocrine system, promotes a healthy pregnancy, prevents the development of fetal pathologies.
Another important property of Brazil’s nut for women is support for youth and beauty. Present in a high concentration of tocopherol causes strong and bright hair, soft and elastic skin, strong nail plate.
Vitamin E is liposoluble, so it is easily absorbed by the digestive tract when consumed in saturated fat.
The main property of Brazil’s nuts for vascular health is its ability to reduce the concentration of harmful cholesterol in the blood. The nut only contains polyunsaturated acids, which normalize the proportion of “bad” and “good” cholesterol in the human body. This not only maintains the health of the circulatory system, but also accelerates weight loss, which is especially important for women.
The benefits of
- Thanks to its high concentration of selenium and vitamins, it reduces the risk of breast cancer;
- normalizes the hormonal state, delays the appearance of menopause;
- It helps to get rid of infertility (as an effective complement to pharmacological therapy);
- Thanks to fatty acids and tocopherol, it keeps clean, smooth and healthy skin;
- It saturates the hair follicles with zinc and selenium, stimulates hair growth and reduces its fall;
- It brings amino acids to the body, which is important for athletes who maintain the figure and develop muscle mass;
- Excellent to quench hunger and provide the body with sufficient amount of energy;
- Inhibits the aging process;
- Reduces the development of atherosclerosis (cholesterol plates) and heart muscle pathologies;
- Prevents cataracts and joint diseases in old age;
- Due to the complex effect of selenium and tocopherol, weakens the symptoms of hypothyroidism – insufficient functioning of the thyroid gland;
- reinforces the immune system;
- It provides magnesium and calcium to bone tissue, prevents the development of osteoporosis (reduced bone density) in menopause.
Of great benefit to the female organism is the nut of Brazil during pregnancy. The selenium present in its composition prevents the appearance of mutations in fetal tissues. Group B vitamins prevent pathological processes during pregnancy, and bioactive mineral elements and compounds favor the immune system of pregnant women. The main thing is to observe moderation in consumption, otherwise the excess of substances will harm the fetus that develops in the uterus.
During the breastfeeding period, Brazil’s nut makes breast milk more nutritious. But it must be consumed very carefully, since it can be allergenic for the baby. An infant mother should not eat more than 2 peanuts per day. It is advisable to eat raw nuts between meals. If the baby shows signs of allergic reaction, the diet product should be excluded.
Damages and contraindications
A contraindication to eat nuts in Brazil is the tendency to suffer from food allergies. Signs of allergic reaction:
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- abdominal pain;
- respiratory disorders;
- skin redness, cutaneous eruption with itching.
If you decide to include exotic fruit in your diet, you should keep in mind that there are restrictions on the daily dose of the product. So that the nut does not bring damage instead of benefits, you cannot eat more than 3 grains a day. The optimal selenium amount for the female organism is contained in 2 grains.
If the recommended dose is exceeded, there is a high risk of selenium poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning:
- profuse vomiting;
- confusion;
- yellowish coloration of the white of the eyes;
- Smell of garlic in the mouth.
How to choose a quality Brazil nut?
It is impossible to visually determine the quality of a nut of Brazil without peeling. But you can know the freshness of the product simply by stirring the pod. If you hear how the fruit is stirred inside, it is an unequivocal sign that it has lost its freshness and is wrinkled.
Knowing how fresh a peeled dry fruit is easier. A quality fruit is heavy, juicy and firm when pressing it. It has a characteristic aroma of nut. If the nuts are light and have lost their smell, they have already passed their expiration date.
Nut uses
The Brazilian nut is used in kitchen, cosmetics and even in watchmaking and crafts. It is consumed both fresh and thermally treated. Cosmetic and hygiene products manufacturers use nut extract as an effective ingredient for skin and hair care.
Nut oil is an excellent lubricant for watchmaking mechanisms, helping watches work for a long time without failure. And artists use oil to work with oil paintings. The resulting paintings do not lose their wealth and their natural colors for decades, even centuries.
In kitchen
Bertholletia’s grains are delicious in both dishes and alone. Its flavor is similar to that of the pinions or raw anacardos. In kitchen, the crushed fruit, which has a rich nutry flavor, is added to baked products, ice cream, salads, salty sauces, first dishes, chocolate products, hot meat dishes and cold snacks.
The nuts are touched with salt and spices and are taken as a snack on trips. They are crushed with nuts and are added to cheese snacks. And peanut butter is used as a salad dressing, dessert and second dishes ingredient.
Both alone and part of a meal, Brazil nuts are eaten in limited amounts, and this is important not only to prevent allergic reactions. Bertoletia grains contain a small amount of radius, a radioactive element that is not dangerous in minimal amounts, but that can be harmful if it is ingested excessively. Therefore, the optimal daily portion for an adult – 2 grains.
In cosmetology
In cosmetology, Brazil’s nut is one of the most used ingredients in cosmetics and care products. The aromatic oil extract, rich in tocopherol and amino acids, is added to creams and masks, shampoos and balms, shower gels.
What are the benefits of Brazil’s nuts for women’s skin:
- Maintains its firmness, elasticity and softness;
- Accelerates the healing of injuries;
- It has a regenerating effect;
- Hydrates the tissues of the epidermis;
- Inhibits ski n-aging processes.
Brazilian fruit is no less effective in terms of hair benefits. Pilossic follicles receive enough nutrition, hair is saturated with moisture, acquires softness, beauty, health.
In various diseases
Brazil walnut is not recognized as a medicine. But as a large number of useful compounds contain, it can be used as a complement to basic therapy for various diseases. Below are the pathologies in which Brazil’s nut, its useful properties and contraindications for women.
The benefits of nuts are remarkable in alopecia – abundant loss of hair in women and men. For women it is a painful problem, often associated with hormonal disorders, poor diet, unfavorable environmental conditions, bad habits and stress factors. Brazil’s walnut helps fight hair loss, thanks to its high content:
- Mineral elements (zinc, iron, selenium), essential to nurture root bulbs;
- Amino acids and fatty acids that provide flexibility to the hair and avoid its fragility;
- Ascorbic acid and tocopherol, which nourish the roots of the hair, maintaining the health of the scalp.
Brazil’s nut is a good product for obesity. Despite its caloric content, it can be included in food diets, since it is rich in proteins, vitamins and fiber. These substances
- Clean the intestinal tract
- suppress the feeling of hunger
- normalize digestive function
- stimulate metabolism;
- eliminate toxins from the digestive tract;
- They normalize cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
But they can help you get rid of excess weight only if you eat them in moderation, follow your diet and exercise regularly.
Brazil’s nuts are also useful for diabetic women. The thiamine (B1) blocks the glycolysis reaction (combination of lipid and protein molecules), which translates into a decrease in blood glucose concentrations. Regular Brazil Nuts inclusion in diabetics diets reduces the probability of
- the development of ocular pathologies;
- Retinopathy (retinal dystrophy due to the deterioration of blood circulation);
- deterioration of renal vessels
- renal insufficiency;
- Damage to nerve tissue;
- Diabetic neuropathy (degenerative damage of peripheral nerves).
The Brazilian fruit has a high magnesium content, which absorbs the sugar molecules of the pancreas and, therefore, is important for diabetics. With the lack of magnesium, diabetes is complicated with vascular, cardiac and eye abnormalities.
Brazil walnut helps to suppress the manifestation of the acute herpes phase, which is activated due to stress, hormonal disorders, weakened immunity. With the regular product use normalizes the endocrine system, hormonal disorders stops, as a result, viral disease returns to the remission stage.
The pronounced antioxidant effect of the nut allows it to be used as a prophylactic agent against cancer. Selenium prevents oxidative reactions, so cells do not mutate. With the regular inclusion of Brazilian grains in the diet, the risk of colon, lung and breast cancer is reduced. Patients with malignant tumors hormone-dependent are recommended to consume fruit to maintain the functionality of the endocrine system.
Storage characteristics
For storage, the product is poured into a glass container, closed with a hermetic lid. The storage place must be fresh and dry. A small amount of nuts that will be consumed soon can be put in a bag in the refrigerator. Your useful life is 2 years.
Brazil’s nuts absorb environmental odors. Therefore, it should not be placed on the shelf next to strong and specific smell products.
Brazil’s nut, which has a positive effect on reproductive function, skin, hair, vascular and endocrine system, is useful for women of all ages. To prolong youth and protect yourself from ag e-related diseases, it is recommended to include it regularly in the diet.
