Product Spotlight: Brazil Nuts
Brazil Nuts are growing in popularity because more people are learning about the great nutrients they provide and benefits to our health.
Whether you’re a longtime fan who keeps Brazil Nuts in your snacking drawer, or you’re newer to this tree nut, we thought we’d give you a “Behind the Scenes” look at this healthy food that is gaining traction from more health-conscious consumers across the country.
What are Brazil Nuts?
Brazil Nuts are nuts that grow from tall, tropical trees in the Amazon rain forest. They grow in large shells resembling coconuts. Inside the shell, you’ll find 8-12 “in shell” Brazil Nuts. Those individual nuts are shelled, which give us the edible Brazil Nut.
Image source: Britannica.com
Image source: Palomar.edu
As with the case of many other “tree nuts,” they are not nuts, but seeds.
Brazil Nuts are skinless, very light in color, and mild. Brazil nuts tend to be a little more dense, are easy to crunch, and aren’t too hard. These delicious tree nuts are “meaty” and have a different texture than cashews or peanuts.
Where Do Brazil Nuts Come From?
The name, Brazil Nuts, is a bit of a misnomer as these nuts are mostly produced in Bolivia. They are also grown in Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Brazil (although not as much as one would think). They require a significant amount of consistent rain and take about 15 months to mature.
Where is the Best Place to Buy Brazil Nuts?
Well, we might be biased, but here at Sunnyland Farms, we think we have the best Brazil Nuts you’ll find anywhere. While some specialty grocery stores carry Brazil Nuts, you can’t beat the convenience of getting them shipped to your door. And you won’t find any as fresh as ours. At Sunnyland Farms, we either sell what we grow on our farm, or we hand-pick other farmers we work with directly.
Our Brazil Nuts come from Bolivia. As always, we have guidelines and specific requirements for Brazil nuts. We ensure ours are the newest crop (which not many others do). We also ensure they are stored properly in a freezer at -10 or in a refrigerator until they are shipped.
Our products are named “Tiny Brazil Nuts” due to the international sizing format for Brazil Nuts. However, as our customers say, “they are not really tiny at all!”
What Color Should Brazil Nuts be?
Brazil nuts should be creamy in color. With some brands and types of Brazil Nuts that aren’t as fresh, they’ll be darker, with an off-taste or smell. They should be whole and healthy-looking.
Are Brazil Nuts Healthy?
Yes! Nutritionally, they contain dietary fiber and various vitamins and minerals, such as Thiamin, Vitamin E, Magnesium, and Zinc. They are one of the richest sources of Selenium, which is difficult to find and important to add to your diet.
What is Selenium?
Selenium is a trace mineral. Getting more Selenium into your diet in small amounts can be very beneficial. In fact, eating just 2 Brazil Nuts per day is effective for increasing Selenium. Selenium is critical for proper thyroid functioning and plays a role in the immune system. Selenium is also attributed to boosting testosterone levels, and having several advantages for men’s health.
Are Brazil Nuts Gluten-Free?
All of Sunnyland’s raw nuts are naturally gluten-free, with no sugar added. This of course applies to our raw Brazil Nuts.
Brazil Nut Storage: How Do You Keep Them Fresh?
As with our pecans and other nuts, we recommend keeping Brazil Nuts in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container. The lower the temperature, the longer nuts like the Brazil Nut will stay fresh.
How Much do Brazil Nuts Cost?
Brazil Nuts are a more exotic nut not as readily available as others nuts, such as peanuts. They aren’t naturally grown here in the US, so they must be imported into the US from vetted suppliers. This, along with the process of harvesting, shelling, and shipping Brazil Nuts, make its cost a little higher. Brazil nuts are mostly sold already shelled, not only for ease of consumption but also due to safety regulations across many countries. At Sunnyland, we sell our Brazil Nuts a few different ways:
- In bulk (check out our Home Boxes)
- In our gourmet nut mixes like our Royal Mix and PNutty Mix
- In our “Do-It-Yourself” 1-pound bags
Shop our high-quality Brazil Nuts today, and let us know what you think.
