John Myers
Brazil nuts can be very high in selenium, which can be harmful in large amounts. According to one manufacturer I interviewed, the selenium content of Brazil nuts does not need to be listed on the packaging. Is that correct?
Selenium is one of the essential trace elements and plays an important role in many processes in our body.
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) specifies 60 – 70 µg selenium per day for adults and 20 µg selenium per day for four to seven-year-old children as a reference value. Selenium is found in both animal and plant foods. Selenium finds its way into plants through the soil and through them into animals and humans. The selenium content in plant foods is therefore always dependent on the selenium content of the soil in the growing area. The soils of European cultivation areas are poorer in selenium than e.g. the soils in Brazil, where the Brazil nut mainly comes from.
According to the German Society for Nutrition, 100 g of Brazil nut kernels contain 103 µg of selenium.
However, the radioactivity of Brazil nuts is more problematic than selenium. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection states that Brazil nuts have a very high level of radioactivity compared to other foods. The radioactive element radium occurs naturally in the soil and is absorbed through the roots of the tree. The Brazil nut tree has a particularly fine network of roots and therefore absorbs a lot more substances from the soil. Therefore, the recommendation of a maximum of 2 Brazil nuts per day applies to adults. With children, they use other nuts at best to avoid exposure to radiation.
A declaration regarding the selenium content or a warning regarding radioactivity on the packaging is not required by law.
