Holding a bowl of Brazil nuts in your hands as a “snack” during the day is not a healthy idea, one or two are enough.
A Brazil nut it is the seed of the tree Bertholletia excelsa, of the Lecythidaceae botanical family, native to the Amazon forest. Surely you have already heard about the benefits of this food: it is the best natural source of selenium in our diet.
Second Renata Guirau, nutritionist at Oba Hortifruti, “this mineral is linked to antioxidant functions, immune strengthening, the health of our central nervous system, as well as improving the quality of our skin, nails and hair”. In addition to dried fruit, selenium is present in meat, seafood and vegetables.
However, like most things in life, both lack and excess are harmful and eating too many or too few nuts can pose health risks. What might surprise you is that you don’t need that many nuts to hurt you.
How many chestnuts should I eat a day?
According to the nutritionist, an average unit of Brazil nuts produced here in Brazil contains between 50mcg and 100mcg of seleniumand the recommended daily consumption is 55 mcg for an adult. Considering this average, one or even two chestnuts are more than enough.
Selenosis
Renata explains that consuming, constantly, more than 400 mcg of selenium per day can have negative repercussions on the body. “Excessive and chronic consumption of Brazil nuts can cause the phenomenon called selenosis, when the body becomes intoxicated by excess selenium. This occurs with the consumption of very large quantities, which can vary from person to person, over long periods of time,” he says.
When consumed more than 900 mcg of selenium per day (which is equivalent to an amount of 9-18 nutsdepending on size), for several weeks the person may experience symptoms such as tiredness, muscle pain, hair loss, gastrointestinal changes (vomiting and diarrhea) and central nervous system changes. In the long term, the person may experience severe symptoms, such as depression, heart and kidney failure.
It is worth remembering that these symptoms occur during consumption regularly large amounts of selenium, meaning that if you consume more than two nuts for a day or two, you shouldn’t encounter any problems.
Selenium deficiency
Renata also explains it You’re more likely to be lacking selenium in your diet than having it.. “Many people do not consume good sources of selenium in their diet, which means there are many more cases of selenium deficiency than poisoning from this mineral,” he says.
Selenium deficiency has equally worrying and serious symptoms, ranging from low immunity to long-term cardiac complications such as Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
