Brazils have bounced back! After freak weather in 2017 left the Amazon with dramatically reduced rainfall nut trees in Bolivia, Peru and Brazil shed their seed pods early and the crop failure left the world dramatically short of Brazil supplies.
The question was, as we reported in the Spring, would the Amazonia rainfall return to normal and would the trees recover this year? “The answer is that they have” says Grape Tree Founder Nick Shutts “the supplies are adequate and the quality of the nuts is excellent. It is great news.” For generations, brazils have, of course, been a special part of the Christmas celebrations for millions of families.
But now they are an all-year-round must for many of us because of their contribution to a healthy diet. Brazils are packed with monounsaturated fats which are linked to lowering cholesterol levels and protecting heart health.
A handful which is around 6 nuts weighing in at 25gs contains 4gs of protein and almost as many carbohydrates. They also have around a quarter of our daily requirement for copper and phosphorous as well as an array of other minerals including manganese, thiamine, zinc, calcium, potassium and iron. Then there is the fibre and the ant-oxidant Vitamin E.
But brazils are celebrated as the best food source on the planet for selenium which plays a vital antioxidant role by helping activate protective enzymes. It also has a role in maintaining the thyroid as well as having an important impact on mood, appetite and sleep. Eating nuts on a regular basis has, repeatedly, been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of early death. Thank goodness they’re back!
Click here to shop our range of Brazil Nuts.