Brazil nuts are said to be extremely healthy but they do contain quite a lot of saturated fat. I have family history of bad hearts – should I continue eating them?
You don’t have to worry about the saturated fat content of Brazil nuts as they have so many other benefits, especially for heart health, I would definitely recommend you include them in your diet. A handful of Brazil nuts (about 7-8) contains just over 3g of saturated fat, that’s just 15% of your GDA (guideline daily amount). The high fat content of Brazil nuts is made up mainly from unsaturated fats which can help lower blood cholesterol and reduce inflammation, both of which can contribute to heart disease. Brazil nuts are also the richest source of selenium, this mineral acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body, preventing damage to cells caused by free radicals that can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. You can get the recommended daily amount of selenium from eating just a small handful of Brazil nuts.
