From the shells to the crunchy centers, not all nuts are created equal. While one serving of any variety of nuts has approximately the same number of calories, ranging from 150 to 200, the number of nuts that make up an ounce varies greatly. Brazil nuts have the least kernels per serving thanks to their large size. Nuts are considered a healthy snack, and may help you feel fuller longer, according to the University of Nebraska.
Location
Brazil nuts, more formally known as Bertholletia excelsa, grow in tropical climates like that of the Amazon rain forest. The New York Botanical Gardens states that most nuts grown for consumption are exported from South America and parts of southern Mexico, mainly to the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Countries including Malaysia and Ghana have been able to cultivate the nuts in tropical botanical gardens.
Growing and Collecting
Brazil nut trees grow wild in the Amazon and have a long harvesting season of five to six month. The trees bear fruit pods containing 12 to 20 seeds, or Brazil nuts. Each fruit pod weights approximately four pounds and each tree can produce 60 to 200 pods, according to the New York Botanical Gardens. The fruit is collected as soon as it falls from the tree to minimize animal and insect damage.
Fats
Almost 90 percent of the Brazil nut is made up of fat, according to the International Tree Nut Council. One ounce of Brazil nuts, approximately five to eight nuts, contains 19g of fat, most of which is poly- and monounsaturated fat. The American Heart Association, AHA, states that most of your daily fat intake should come from consuming nuts, seeds, fish and vegetable oils. Poly- and monounsaturated fats are healthier fats, and when consumed they do not appear to raise LDL cholesterol levels, according to the AHA.
Calories and Nutrition
Since most of the Brazil nut is made up of fat, it is a high calorie food. One ounce of unroasted and unsalted nuts has 190 calories. Because their calorie and fat content is so high, it takes very few nuts to create a full, satisfied feeling. Other than healthy fats, Brazil nuts also contain large amounts of selenium. One serving contains 780 percent of the daily requirement for selenium. Selenium is a trace mineral used in medicine to prevent atherosclerosis, and it has been associated with various types of cancer prevention, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Considerations
The best benefits come from eating raw nuts. The nuts should be stored in the shell and refrigerated until ready to eat, according to the University of Nebraska. Keeping the nuts cool will make it easier to remove the shell. The nuts can also be heated up in the microwave or in a pan with a small amount of butter to make for a richer taste. Otherwise, adding the nuts to breads, cakes or entrees is a great way to spice up a recipe.
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