when you eat two Brazil nuts?
A randomized controlled trial published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined 59 adults who consumed either:
two Brazil nuts daily,
100 micrograms of selenium as a supplement, or
a placebo.
After 12 weeks, the Brazil nut group experienced a 64.2% increase in plasma selenium. Researchers concluded that two Brazil nuts per day were about as effective at improving selenium status as the selenium supplement used in the study.
Brazil nuts also increased activity of glutathione peroxidase, an important selenium-dependent antioxidant enzyme.
Another small study involving selenium-deficient patients receiving hemodialysis found that daily Brazil nut consumption significantly increased selenium levels and was associated with improvements in T3 and free T4 levels. However, this was a specialized patient population and the study did not include a control group, so the findings should not be generalized to everyone.
Important distinction
Brazil nuts can help
