Brazil nut - a real superfood

Apologies for the naff picture but this is an important blog post 

Are Brazil nuts good for you?  Are Brazil nuts healthy?  The answer to these two questions is YES!  Will Brazil nuts make me fat?  NO they won't (providing they are part of a well balanced diet)!

Brazil nuts are special amongst in world of nuts.  While all nuts are healthy, providing you don't eat tons of salted peanuts, as they are packed with proteins and other useful nutrients, Brazil nuts are really excellent.

It is the combination of Vitamin E with selenium that provides our bodies with two potent antioxidants which increase our immunity against various conditions such as cancer and heart disease .  Having a diet which includes these is important for everyone, young and old alike but I think it is especially important if you're active or sporty.   When we exercise our bodies release free radicals into the system and the damage that can be caused at individual cell level can lead to various illnesses.  Selenium inhibits the release or formation of free radicals and with the combination of Vitamin E the effect is more pronounced.

It is not just Vitamin E and selenium that's packed in there.  They also contain Vitamin B and other minerals plus a good supply of non saturated fats which are also good for us.  In fact you only have to read the nutritional information on the pack to clock this: for every 100g, there is 68g of fat and most of this is really benefiticial to us.

With all this in mind, most days I include just 3 or 4 Brazil nuts in my lunch box to ensure I have a good steady supply of these wonderful nuts.  They're not cheap but I think they are worth it as they do last a long time but beware of keeping them for too long - the fat can become rancid - so their age and storage conditions is something to consider.