Composition and calorie content of Brazil nuts. The benefits of the product for the body, possible harm and a list of contraindications. How to choose the highest quality product and how to store it? Bertolethia fruits in cooking.
The Brazil nut is the fruit of the South American Bertholletia plant (from the Latin "Bertholletia"), which belongs to the Lecithis family. Other names are cream, American, or South American walnut. Most of the plants grow wild in South America, namely in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia. From a botanical point of view, fruits are not considered nuts, but grains. They ripen in boxes that look like a coconut. The taste of grains is sometimes compared to pine nuts. They are high in calories and high in nutrients, so they are eaten in pure form or added to various dishes. However, despite their nutritional value, the fruits have a number of contraindications for use. Read on about the composition and beneficial properties of Brazil nuts, how to choose the right product and how to use it in cooking.
Composition and calorie content of Brazil nuts
In the photo is a brazilian nut
Brazil nuts are an incredibly valuable daily dietary supplement because has a capacious list of nutrients included in its composition. Also, its high nutritional value is provided by a high fat content, so the product is considered one of the most nutritious and capable of quickly satisfying hunger and giving strength.
The calorie content of Brazil nuts is 659 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:
- Proteins - 14, 32 g;
- Fats - 67, 1 g;
- Carbohydrates - 4, 24 g;
- Dietary fiber - 7, 5 g;
- Water - 3.42 g;
- Ash - 3, 43 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin B1 - 0.617 mg;
- Vitamin B2 - 0.035 mg;
- Vitamin B4 - 28.8 mg;
- Vitamin B5 - 0.184 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0.11 mg;
- Vitamin B9 - 22 mcg;
- Vitamin C - 0.7 mg;
- Vitamin E - 5, 65 mg;
- Vitamin PP - 0.295 mg;
- Betaine - 0.4 mg.
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium - 659 mg;
- Calcium - 160 mg;
- Magnesium - 376 mg;
- Sodium - 3 mg;
- Phosphorus - 725 mg
Microelements per 100 g:
- Iron - 2.43 mg;
- Manganese - 1, 223 mg;
- Copper - 1743 mcg;
- Selenium - 1917 mcg;
- Zinc - 4.06 mg.
Digestible carbohydrates per 100 g:
- Starch and dextrins - 0.25 g;
- Sucrose - 2, 33 g.
Essential amino acids per 100 g:
- Arginine - 2, 14 g;
- Valine - 0.76 g;
- Histidine - 0.409 g;
- Isoleucine - 0.518 g;
- Leucine - 1, 19 g;
- Lysine - 0.49 g;
- Methionine - 1, 124 g;
- Threonine - 0, 365 g;
- Tryptophan - 0.15 g;
- Phenylalanine - 0.639 g.
Replaceable amino acids per 100 g:
- Alanine - 0, 609 g;
- Aspartic acid - 1.325 g;
- Glycine - 0.733 g;
- Glutamic acid - 3, 19 g;
- Proline - 0, 706 g;
- Serine - 0, 676 g;
- Tyrosine - 0.416 g;
- Cysteine - 0, 306 g.
Sterols per 100 g:
- Campesterol - 2 mg;
- Stigmasterol - 6 mg;
- Beta Sitosterol 64 mg
Saturated fatty acids per 100 g:
- Myristic - 0, 046 g;
- Palmitic - 9, 626 g;
- Margarine - 0.041 g;
- Stearic - 6, 244 g;
- Arachidic - 0.167 g;
- Begenic - 0, 01 g.
Monounsaturated fatty acids per 100 g:
- Palmitoleic - 0, 214 g;
- Heptadecene - 0.045 g;
- Omega-9, oleic - 23, 594 g;
- Omega-9, gadoleic - 0, 027 g.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g:
- Omega-6 - 23, 859 g;
- Linolenic - 0, 036 g;
- Omega-3, alpha-linolenic - 0.018 g;
- Omega-6, gamma-linolenic - 0, 018 g.
The expanded composition of the Brazil nut shows that using this product, you can easily replenish a large amount of vitamins B1 and E, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc, as well as fatty acids (omega-9 and omega-6). These grains are the record holder among all products in terms of selenium content. 100 g contains a record amount of this trace element, which is several tens of times higher than the daily intake.
In addition to useful substances, the fruits also contain dangerous, albeit in very small quantities. It contains radium, which has radioactive properties. And in the peel, aflatoxins were found.
Useful properties of Brazil nuts
The correct diet should contain a variety of foods to ensure the balance of incoming nutrients. So, the use of nuts is also important. And if a couple of decades ago, walnuts were the most affordable, then at the moment you can freely buy cedar, macadamia, cashew, forest, peanut, Brazilian. The latter are very beneficial for both men and women. In a general sense, the healing properties of the Brazil nut are to lower blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of developing certain diseases of the visual organs and cancer, purify the blood, prevent pathologies of the cardiovascular system, and accelerate tissue regeneration.
The benefits of brazil nuts for men
Many doctors recommend that members of the sterner sex include bertolethia fruits in their diet precisely due to the high content of selenium in them. This trace element has a good effect on men's health, and in combination with the rest of the beneficial substances that make up the product, it works even more effectively.
First of all, the South American nut has a beneficial effect on the male reproductive system. The product improves blood circulation and normalizes testosterone production, thereby improving erection, libido and penile sensitivity.
The benefits of the Brazil nut for men also lie in the therapeutic and prophylactic effect on the prostate gland - the risk of developing prostatitis and cancer is reduced. As a result of the normalization of the work of this organ, sperm motility increases, which significantly increases the chances of fertilization.
Thanks to the normalization of testosterone levels, a man's mood improves. Mechanisms of resistance to external stimuli are activated in the body, therefore, excitability decreases, and bouts of anger are eliminated.
It should be noted that there are benefits for the musculoskeletal system. As a result of eating Brazil nuts, hormones are normalized. The balance of hormones allows you to increase endurance, strengthen muscles, and make joints more mobile. During active physical activity, the product helps to build muscle mass, making the body more prominent and reducing fat deposits.
The benefits of brazil nuts for women
The complex of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, which is part of the grains of the South American bertolet, allows you to accelerate the course of most metabolic processes, which in turn has a positive effect on the figure. Therefore, the Brazil nut for weight loss is used as one of the best sources of nutrients, despite its high calorie content and high fat content. Of course, you should not abuse this product, then weight loss will be successful.
Brazilian nuts are also valuable for women in terms of their hormonal effects. After consuming these grains, the production of many hormones is normalized. This is especially important in order to delay the inevitable onset of menopause, as well as to alleviate the condition during menopause. In addition, the product is able to increase a woman's ability to conceive, fighting many causes of infertility.
Everyone needs to eat these nuts, but for the fair sex this product is more desirable, because contains antioxidants. It eliminates the influence of free radicals, slows down the aging process, normalizes the mechanisms of regeneration, which significantly improves the appearance.
Benefits of Brazilian Nut for Pregnant Women
Very often during pregnancy, and even more so during breastfeeding, doctors recommend refraining from eating any nuts, because they are capable of provoking the appearance of an allergic reaction in both the mother and the child. However, it is still worth learning how the Brazil nut is useful when used carefully.
This product can provide significant benefits during gestation. Trace elements and amino acids prevent the appearance of various cellular mutations in the unborn child, allowing all organs and systems to develop correctly. Also, creamy nuts cleanse the blood, lower the level of bad cholesterol, and normalize the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body of the mother and baby.
Having decided to include bertolet grains in her diet for the first time, a pregnant or lactating woman should first try a small piece and, in the absence of any negative reaction, consume in limited quantities - no more than 1-2 pieces. per day.
The benefits of brazil nuts for children
It is not advisable to include any nuts, including Brazilian ones, in the diet of children until they reach 3 years of age, because there is a great danger of developing allergies and indigestion. And from 3 years old, you can gradually introduce the product, starting with a small piece, carefully observing the well-being of the child.
The consumption rate of Brazil nuts for children is 1-2 pcs. per day with systematic use. If the serving is one-time, then you should limit yourself to 5 grains.
Berthollet grains have a tonic effect. They easily replenish the stocks of most nutrients and perform the function of an immunostimulant. Improving immunity reduces the incidence of colds and other infectious diseases and facilitates the course of adaptation in preschool institutions and schools.
It is also important that omega fatty acids are present in the composition, which are necessary for normal life - the proper functioning of the heart, blood vessels, nervous system, and brain.
The benefits of Brazil nuts for children also include beneficial effects on the skin. In adolescence, foci of inflammation often appear on the skin, acne against a background of hormonal imbalance. The product has an anti-inflammatory effect and allows you to quickly neutralize the infection. It also stimulates recovery processes, removing traces of unpleasant skin diseases, improving the appearance and relieving the child of complexes caused by a cosmetic defect.
Contraindications and harm to Brazil nuts
Any product, even the most delicious and healthy, can be both a medicine and a poison - it all depends on the volume of consumption. So, by consuming grains of bertolette in moderation, you can get the maximum benefit without side effects. But with all the beneficial properties, contraindications of the Brazil nut still exist.
First of all, it is worth refusing to use this type of nuts for allergy sufferers and those who have an individual intolerance to the product.
It is undesirable to eat these grains and obese people due to the high calorie content of the product.
You should also be careful when taking medications and dietary supplements that contain selenium. When used together, there will be an excess of this trace element, which will cause a number of negative consequences.
It is noteworthy that due to the high selenium content, it is enough to consume only 3-4 grains per day. With excessive consumption, the harm of the Brazil nut is manifested by indigestion with severe intoxication of the body, the development of toxic hepatosis of the liver, hair loss, delamination of the nail plate and a significant deterioration in the condition of the skin.
How to choose a Brazil nut?
Omega-6, which is included in large quantities in the product, causes gradual spoilage, impairs the taste, making it bitter, so you should not buy the product for future use.
Not everyone knows what a Brazil nut looks like unpeeled, because it goes on sale most often without shells. The fruit of the South American Bertolethiae has a rounded shape, its diameter varies from 8 to 15 cm, while the weight sometimes reaches 2 kg. There is a small hole on one side. Under a hard shell, like orange slices, there are 12-24 grains covered with a shell. They are firmly attached to the walls, so there should be no sound when shaking an unopened nut. The outer shell must not be damaged in any way. It is noteworthy that whole nuts cannot be stored for a long time, because edible kernels gradually accumulate dangerous toxins from the shell.
Peeled kernels practically do not contain hazardous substances and are stored for much longer. When buying such a product, you should pay attention to the appearance. The length of the grains is 3-5 cm. The photo of the Brazil nut shows that the color is uneven and includes a milky, yellowish, brownish color, but they should be saturated. A dull hue speaks in favor of degraded quality.
Buying by weight has its pros and cons. In this case, you can taste the fruits and evaluate how they look. But at the same time, it is quite difficult to understand what is their shelf life. The taste of the Brazilian nut is a bit like pine nuts, but many people do not notice this similarity either, claiming that this product is not like anything else. When fresh, it leaves an earthy aftertaste. The kernels must be a little soft, but crispy.
When choosing a product in packages, it is better to take in transparent ones in order to be able to evaluate it visually. There should be no condensation inside, because in this case, doubts about the quality arise.
Now we will tell you how to store Brazil nuts. The grains are capable of absorbing different odors well, so you need to place them in a sealed container. For large quantities, it is better to take a glass jar. If there are few kernels, then you can limit yourself to a plastic bag.
South American walnut kernels can be refrigerated and even frozen. Such conditions make it possible to preserve all the nutrients well. The maximum shelf life is 2 years.
Brazil nut recipes
Bertolethia fruits taste good both raw and processed. The kernels are sometimes fried in order to dry a little and make them crisper, but a large amount of nutrients is lost. And since Brazil nuts are often eaten for the purpose of supplying the body with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and others, it is advisable not to subject it to heat treatment. In general, in cooking, this product is used in the preparation of baked goods, chocolate, various desserts, snacks, salads, soups, sauces and other dishes. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular recipes, where the list of ingredients contains South American Bertolette grains.
Desserts with Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts complement almost any desserts well. They increase the calorie content, improve the taste and enhance the aroma.
Caramel Nut Dessert Recipes:
- Chocolate dessert with bertolette grains and cream … Ingredients: dark chocolate (500 g), ground cinnamon (2 tsp), ground cloves (1 tsp), nutmeg (to taste), powdered sugar (1 tbsp), Brazil nuts (500 d), cream (380 ml). First, we select the form for the dessert. You can take metal, plastic or silicone. It is better to choose a square shape in shape. Lubricate it with oil or cover it with cling film. We heat the water bath and melt the chocolate. When the mass becomes creamy, add cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, powdered sugar. Separately heat the cream and send it to the chocolate. Mix and set to cool a little. We spread the products on the prepared form, alternating a layer of nuts and chocolate-creamy mass. When the ingredients are all over, level the top layer and put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so that the dessert is completely frozen. After that, we take it out of the mold, cut it into pieces and serve it with coffee, tea, cocoa.
- Oat bars with brazil nuts and jam … Main ingredients: flour (120 g), oatmeal (80 g), berry jam (400 g), brown sugar (60 g), butter (60 g), salt (1/2 tsp), baking powder (1/2 tsp). Ingredients for the nut mass: Brazil nuts (70 g), pecans (70 g), almond petals (70 g), butter (100 g), brown sugar (60 g), milk (2 tablespoons), vanilla extract (1/2 tsp). Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix the oatmeal with flour, add sugar, salt, baking powder and softened butter. Use your fingers to grind the whole mass into crumbs. Cover a small baking container with high walls with paper, spread the oatmeal on the bottom and try to tamp it as tightly as possible. Pour the jam on top and level. Separately grind the mixture of nuts in a blender, combine with sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. We bring to homogeneity. Put the resulting nut filling on top of the jam and put in the oven for 45 minutes. When ready, take out and cut into thin rectangular bars.
- Pie stuffed with fruits and nuts … Ingredients: eggs (2 pcs.), Sugar (50 g), vanilla, cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon), cloves (3 stars), baking powder, lemon zest (1 tablespoon), salt (2 g), flour (70 g), dates, 100 g, dried figs (200 g), Brazil nuts (150 g), walnuts (100 g), almonds (70 g), candied fruits (70 g), glazed red cherries (50 g), apricot jam (100 g), icing sugar (1 tbsp), butter (1 tsp), bread crumbs (2 tbsp). Blanch the almonds, cool and remove the skin. Cut the walnuts coarsely. Grind the figs into small pieces. We get rid of the dates by cutting them in half. Set aside some whole nuts, candied fruits and cherries for decoration. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Next, prepare the dough. Mix eggs, sugar and vanilla - beat until fluffy. Cinnamon, baking powder, cloves crushed in a mortar, salt, lemon zest and flour, mix and send to the egg mass, mix. Add dates, figs, nuts, candied fruits to this. It is better to take a circular form for this cake. Lubricate it with oil and sprinkle thoroughly with bread crumbs. We spread the dough with filling. At first glance, it seems that the dough is small, but during baking it increases in size and fills all the voids. Cover the top with foil, make a couple of holes and bake for 75 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave the cake inside the oven for another 10 minutes. We take it out, let it cool for 10 minutes and remove it from the mold. Heat the apricot jam and then rub through a very fine sieve. Mix one third with the nuts and cherries left for decoration, and carefully grease the entire surface of the cake with the rest of the mass. Put the filling on the top of the product, lightly sprinkle with powder and leave for 12-24 hours in a cool place. Serve with whipped cream.
Brazil nut salads
Many chefs believe that the taste of Bertoleta beans is the most original and surpasses all others, therefore they prefer this particular product. The kernels of this South American tree are very often added to vitamin salads to not only improve the taste, but also make the dish more nutritious. It enriches the Brazil nut recipes for vegetarian cuisine, is often used in the Lenten menu and for the preparation of various dietary dishes.
Salad recipes with nuts:
- Green beans salad with Brazil nuts … Ingredients: green beans (400 g), lettuce (200 g), pear (2 pcs.), Walnuts (50 g), lemon (1/2 pcs.), Olive oil (2 tablespoons), nut oil (2 tbsp), sesame seeds (2 tsp), black pepper (3 g), salt (3 g). Boil the beans in salted soda over medium heat for 10 minutes, drain the water and pour the ice cubes into a saucepan. This will preserve the beautiful vibrant green color. After 5-10 minutes, remove the liquid and ice residues. Pour olive oil over the beans. Cut the pears into slices or slices, sprinkle with lemon juice. Fry the grains of bertolethia and then grind them a little in a mortar. Dry the sesame seeds in a pan. Mix the beans, chopped lettuce, pear, sprinkle with salt and pepper, season with nut butter. Stir and put on a dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and Brazil nuts on top.
- Strawberry salad with avocado and brazil nuts … Ingredients: avocado (1 pc.), Strawberries (300 g), nuts (50 g), lettuce (4 pcs.), Honey (1 tbsp. L.), Lemon juice (1 tbsp.)l), olive oil (30 ml), sugar (1/2 tbsp. l.). Mix sugar, honey, juice and butter until smooth. We wash the lettuce leaves, dry them and put them in a salad bowl on the bottom. Cut the avocado into two halves in a circle, scroll to separate the fruit, and then remove the bone and chop it into a cube. Cut the strawberries into 2-4 pieces and place them in a salad bowl together with the avocado. Grind the grains of berthollet into a powder in a mortar and pour them onto the salad. Pour everything with dressing and serve.
- Arugula salad with brazil nuts and raspberries … Ingredients: arugula (100 g), nuts (7 pcs), fresh raspberries (80 g), brown sugar (1 tsp), shallots (2 pcs), olive oil (80 ml), balsamic vinegar (80 ml), balsamic sauce (1 tsp), lemon juice (2 tsp), salt and pepper. Cut the nuts into small pieces and lightly dry them in a dry small frying pan. Then caramelize in sugar. After that, we put them on paper and cool completely. Finely chop the onion and fry with the addition of olive oil until the product becomes transparent. At this moment, pour in balsamic vinegar, juice and 30 ml of water. When the dressing has cooled, season it with salt and pepper. We wash the arugula, dry it and sort it out. Put on a plate, pour with dressing. Then add raspberries and nuts and serve, garnished with balsamic sauce.
Interesting facts about Brazil nut
Bertoletiya sometimes reaches a height of 50 meters. At the same time, the yield is sometimes more than 200 kg. However, such large volumes are inherent in trees growing in the wild. The cultivation of Brazil nuts on plantations is not economically viable because in places where human activity is high, the tree brings a much smaller harvest. This is due to the lack of bumblebees and other insects that pollinate the flowers. But the Brazil nut grows both in natural habitats and in cultivated conditions.
In places where intensive walnut harvesting takes place, there are practically no young trees. This is due to careful harvesting and is the reason that the species does not recover well. In turn, this carries the threat of a shortage of this product in the future.
Watch a video about the properties of Brazil nuts:
Brazil nuts are one of the healthiest foods in the world. This explains its growing popularity. If you include it in your diet on an ongoing basis, you can significantly improve your health.
