The Brazil nut is called also bertoletiy, or a bertoletion, in honor of K.L. Bertholet — the French scientist-chemist of the 18-19th centuries. Very much the plant suits its third name — the southern American, or American nut as it is widespread in the countries of a northern part of South America located along the Amazon River: Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil. This nut differs from others in the fact that actually this sunflower seed which only tastes like nut. But the main thing in this product as far as it is tasty and useful.
Description
Bertoletiya treats the biggest trees of Amazonia. It reaches height of 45-50 m and width of 1-2 m. The plant is a long-liver among trees: there live 500 years, and sometimes and 1000, according to some scientists. The tree has a direct and smooth trunk without branches. The krone occupies only the fourth part of length of a trunk and forms a round dome.
Only large orchideous bees can pollinate flowers. It explains why the main part of a crop is reaped from wild-growing trees in the Amazonian forests, but not from specially put plantations. One forest bertoletiya can give 200–300 kg of fruits a year.
Whether you know? To climb on a top of a huge tree behind nuts there is no need as mature copies fall to the ground. It is possible therefore colonists from Spain gave tasty nuts the name gift dominical from heaven.
The fruit has a round box with a diameter of 10-15 cm from strong, as at a coco, a shell which thickness of 8-12 mm. The box is filled with the extended grains (4–5 cm) which a form and arrangement are similar to orange segments. In a fruit them there can be from 8 to 24 pieces.
The treelike cover of a bertoletov of a fruit so firm that, even falling from huge height, it often remains safe. But strong and sharp teeth of a little rodent of an aguta cope with it. These beings gnaw grains from within. They bury what remains for emergency, and then forget about the storages from which new sprouts grow later.
Seeds of fruits of a bertoletiya are and there are those Brazil nuts which we buy in shop and which have a set of useful properties.
Learn in more detail about advantage of various nuts — muscat, black, walnut, cashew, a macadamia, pistachios, chestnuts.
Structure and caloric content
Bertoletova so useful nutlets sunflower seeds because they contain many vitamins and minerals. Their structure:
- vitamins A, D, E, C and almost all vitamins of group B (thiamine, Riboflavinum, is well-cared, nicotinic, pantothenic and folic acids);
- 10 major minerals (selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, zinc, iron, manganese, calcium, sodium);
- flavonoids;
- 18 valuable amino acids, including betaine and arginine;
- polyunsaturated fatty acids;
- cellulose.
Brazil nut very much kaloriyen. In 100 g contains:
- power value — 682 kcal or 2851 kJ;
- proteins — 14 g;
- fats — 66 g (sated — 15.1 g, monounsaturated — 24.6 g, polyunsaturated — 20.6 g);
- carbohydrates — 12 g (including sugar — 2.3 g).
Having eaten 100 g of nuts, the person will fill up the organism with day norm of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins:
- B1 — 51%;
- E — 25%;
- B6 — 7%;
- B9 — 5%;
- B5 — 4%;
- B2 — 3%;
- B3 — 2%;
- With — 1%.
Learn whether it is worth using nuts, a role of nuts in food and cookery.
Minerals:
- Selenium — 2739%;
- Phosphorus — 104%;
- Magnesium — 94%;
- Copper — 58%;
- Potassium — 33%;
- Zinc — 27%;
- Iron — 24%;
- Manganese — 24%;
- Calcium — 16%;
- Sodium — 1%.
Important! American nut high-calorific. Therefore you should not exceed standard daily rate of its use, especially that who wishes to lose excess weight.
Useful properties for an organism
The Brazil nut is very nutritious and useful to the people predisposed to oncology because the selenium which is contained in it prevents development of cancer of intestines, breast, lungs and a prostate. Cellulose cleans intestines and promotes digestion. Vitamins and minerals as a part of this nutlet strengthen immunity and improve a metabolism in an organism.
It is possible to use this product as prevention of different diseases: cardiovascular system, thyroid gland, atherosclerosis and cataract. So, all people of all age, men and women need to eat it.
Muzhchin
The Brazilian nutlets are important for male health as they in a large number supply an organism with valuable selenium which interferes with development of many male diseases. Advantage of nuts:
- Selenium and magnesium care for health of a prostate: interferes with development of prostatitis and prostate cancer.
- Antioxidants and vitamins C and E stop oxidizing processes, thereby reducing a possibility of appearance of oncological and cardiovascular diseases.
- Level of testosterone increases by several percent, the mobility of spermatozoa improves.
- Content of cholesterol goes down that positively influences a condition of heart and vessels and prevents formation of blood clots.
- The use of a Brazil nut is useful for a men's reproductive system, in particular improves work of testicles.
- The omega-6 the fatty acids which are contained in nuts is a protection against problems with heart, vessels and excess weight.
For improvement of potency it is necessary to look narrowly at black radish, an asparagus, a thyme, sour cream, mango, a kiwi, parsley.
Zhenshchin
- Selenium is necessary for the correct functioning of a female reproductive system, normal course of pregnancy, the birth of the healthy child without pathologies. Also it provides protection of a thyroid gland.
- Antioxidants combat free radicals, slowing down aging and prolonging youth of a female body.
- Vitamin E is necessary to each woman beautifully to look as he cares for health of skin, a hair and nails.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower cholesterol level.
Contraindications and harm
As well as the majority of other useful food products, a Brazil nut has contraindications. There are reasons for which it can be harmful:
- Allergy to nuts.
- In a nut peel there is an aflatoxin — poison which if to use it much, is dangerous to a liver, contributes to the development of cirrhosis and cancer. Therefore it is impossible to eat and store nuts in a peel.
- In a product is a little harmful radium, because of it it is impossible to abuse nuts.
- Selenium if to overeat it, has dangerous side effects: nausea, vomiting, the confused consciousness, skin reddening, an unpleasant smell from a mouth to pant, pneumonia and failure of a liver.
Abuse of this useful nut can do to health irreparable harm.
Peanut butter, sesame, pollen, mountain ash, cocoa, strawberry, cranberry, durian, orange can cause strong allergic reaction.
How to use also a daily dose
The American nut is usually eaten crude, raw. But it very tasty fried, salty and sweet. It is used as ingredient in confectionery, added to salads and other cold dishes to which it adds savors. Make nut oil which is applied in cosmetology and cookery of it.
Doctors recommend to eat 2–3 nutlets every day. Such quantity will provide an organism with all necessary useful substances, including valuable selenium. Excess of this daily dose can cause consequences hazardous to health.
Whether you know? Brazil nuts oil is applied not only in the culinary and cosmetic purposes. From it produce also art paints and oil for lubricant of hours.
As it is correct to choose
Choosing the Brazilian nutlets in a shell, it is necessary to shake them: fresh grains sit in a peel densely and do not rumble. The peeled nuts have to be quite heavy, dense and crackle. They have to have the characteristic nut smell. Easy, dry and nothing you should not take not smelling copies as they low-quality or stale also are stored already too long.
Important! It is the best of all to buy the cleaned nutlets as their peel is poisonous.
Conditions and periods of storage
Brazil nuts very strongly absorb foreign smells. For this reason of the house they need to be held in densely closed glass jar or china. If it is a little nutlets, they can be packed in a plastic bag.
Container with grains needs to be stored the fridge or other cool place, it is desirable far away from strongly smelling products, for example, from sausage.
Nutlets even without peel are stored in the dark, cool and dry place about 2 years, without losing the curative properties.
Exotic American nuts — a product expensive. But them much it is also not necessary. It is enough to eat couple of pieces a day. It will not strongly cost a pretty penny, but will bring big benefit for health.