Brazil nuts
very rich in selenium. Fats & nuts.
- Verdict
- UnclearThere isn't enough human evidence to say either way.
- How sure
- Rung 2 · LimitedFew, small or conflicting human studies, or only indirect measures such as blood markers.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
None shown
What the evidence shows
Each Brazil nut has 68 to 91 mcg of selenium. Getting enough selenium from food may lower the risk of some cancers, the NIH says, but selenium supplements did not lower prostate cancer risk in large trials. The safe upper limit for adults is 400 mcg a day from all sources, so a handful of Brazil nuts a day can go over it; too much causes garlic breath, hair and nail loss, nausea and nerve problems.
What to do
Fine as an occasional nut. Don't eat many every day, especially if you take a supplement with selenium.
Sources
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Related
Every food we rated, or follow one cancer step by step: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.