Brazil nuts are among the most healthful and nutritious nuts that you can eat according to Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D and Clinical Nutrition Specialist. They have very large amounts of healthful unsaturated fat and selenium. Brazil nuts make Dr. Jonny Bowden's list of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth". Unfortunately, if you are searching for dietary sources that are rich in vitamin K, Brazil nuts are not one.
Vitamin K Content
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brazil nuts do not have any vitamin K. While some nuts and seeds are a good source of vitamin K and will help you meet your approximate 60 to 80 mcg daily requirement, Brazil nuts will not contribute to your vitamin K intake. Nut dietary sources such as cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts and pistachios all are good sources of bone-building vitamin K. Berry fruits and green-leafy vegetables are among the very best and most concentrated sources of vitamin K.
High in Fat
Brazil nuts are very rich in healthful unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are considered to be "good" fats that can help reduce chronic inflammation and raise your HDL "good" cholesterol and lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol according to the Harvard School of Public Nuts. Brazil nuts are very high in calories. A cup of Brazil nuts has 872 calories, which is more than just about any kind of nut. Brazil nuts, unfortunately, are high in saturated fat as well. Saturated fat should not exceed 7 percent of your overall calories according to the Harvard School of Public Health. 1 oz. of Brazil nuts have 5g of saturated fat. Dr. Ira Ockene at the University of Massachusetts only recommends eating one Brazil nut per day.
Brazil Nuts for Selenium
While Brazil nuts are not a good dietary source of vitamin K, they still carry a tremendous amount of nutritional benefits according to Dr. Bowden. Dr. Bowden considers Brazil nuts to be "without a doubt, the best source of selenium" that you can eat. Six to eight Brazil nuts provide 544 mcg of selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that prevents the potentially cancerous effects that heavy metals can cause. Dr. Bowden also explains that low levels of selenium are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer and colorectal-gastic related cancers.
Vitamin K
Dr. Bowden explains that vitamin K is often overlooked, yet, a very important vitamin. Many people may not know what vitamin K does. Vitamin K helps your body absorb calcium by activating a compound called "osteocalcin" that anchors calcium molecules to your bones. Without vitamin K, calcium cannot absorb into your bones and may actually cause harm by calcifying in other areas of your body. Vitamin K is also responsible for creating blood clots to close open wounds and heal them if you cut yourself.
References
- "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth"; Dr. Jonny Bowden; 2007
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out With The Bad, In With The Good
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched
- University of Massachusetts Medical School: Nuts!; Dr. Ira Ockene
- Yeshiva University Department of Epidemiology and Population Heath: Nut Nutrition and Beyond; Elena Tateo, et al.
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