NOW Real Food® Brazil Nuts Raw, Organic, and Unsalted — 10 oz (SKU: N7022)
Looking for a simple, whole-food way to get your daily trace minerals? NOW Real Food® Organic Brazil Nuts (Raw & Unsalted) deliver whole, unroasted, and completely unseasoned nuts straight from the Amazon rainforest basin. Nature packs these large tree nuts with rich dietary fats, magnesium, and the highest natural concentration of the vital antioxidant mineral selenium found anywhere on Earth.
Quick Product Highlights
✓100% Certified Organic: Grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or irradiation (USDA Organic certified by QAI).
✓Pure, Raw & Unsalted: Never roasted in oils or salted, preserving delicate polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
✓Superior Selenium Density: A single kernel supplies your entire daily recommended selenium allowance.
✓Fresh Fill Packaging: Gas-flushed barrier pouch safeguards nut oils against oxygen exposure and rancidity.
The Selenium Powerhouse: Thyroid Health & Cellular Defense
Selenium is an essential trace mineral, meaning your body cannot make it on its own—it must come from your daily diet. While you only need tiny amounts, selenium plays a massive role in two fundamental bodily processes:
1. Thyroid Hormone Production & Conversion
Your thyroid gland holds the highest concentration of selenium per gram of tissue in your entire body. Selenium is an indispensable building block for enzymes called iodothyronine deiodinases. These specialized enzymes convert the inactive thyroid hormone (T4) produced by your thyroid into active triiodothyronine (T3), the hormone responsible for regulating your resting metabolic rate, body temperature, and daily energy levels (Rayman, MP. The Lancet, 2012; Schomburg, L. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 2011).
2. Glutathione Antioxidant Shield
Whenever your thyroid produces hormones, it naturally creates hydrogen peroxide as a metabolic byproduct. Selenium powers selenoproteins, especially glutathione peroxidases (GPx). These enzymes act as internal cellular firefighters, neutralizing free radicals and shielding delicate thyroid cells and blood vessels from oxidative stress.
Food Source
Standard Serving
Average Selenium (mcg)
% Daily Value (Adult DV: 55 mcg)
Raw Brazil Nuts (NOW Foods)
Just 1 Nut (~4 g)
68 – 91 mcg
124% – 165% DV
Yellowfin Tuna (Cooked)
3 oz (85 g)
92 mcg
167% DV
Halibut
3 oz (85 g)
47 mcg
85% DV
Whole Large Egg
1 Egg (50 g)
15 mcg
27% DV
Raw Almonds or Walnuts
1 oz (28 g)
< 2 mcg
< 4% DV
Data benchmarked from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements & USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 170569).
The Practical Daily Serving Guide: How Many Brazil Nuts Should You Eat?
On the package label, the standard food serving size is listed as about 5 nuts (19 grams) for general calorie and macronutrient tracking (providing 130 calories). However, for regular daily wellness, eating 1 to 2 Brazil nuts per day is the clinical sweet spot.
Why You Should Not Treat Brazil Nuts Like Regular Snacking Nuts:
Because the wild Amazon soil where Brazil nut trees grow contains naturally high mineral pockets, selenium concentrations vary from tree to tree. A single nut can deliver anywhere from 50 mcg to over 95 mcg. Eating 5 or 6 nuts every day can easily push your intake above 400 micrograms (mcg) per day—the established Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) set by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Recommended Daily Intake Matrix
Daily Quantity
Estimated Selenium
Safety Status
Usage Guidance
1 Nut Daily
68 – 91 mcg
Optimal Daily Range
Meets 100%+ of adult RDA comfortably without risk of overload.
2 Nuts Daily
136 – 182 mcg
Safe Maximum Range
Great for active athletes or low-selenium diets. Well below the 400 mcg upper limit.
3 – 4 Nuts Daily
204 – 364 mcg
Caution Advised
Acceptable occasionally, but risks crossing 400 mcg if taking multivitamin supplements.
5+ Nuts Daily (Ongoing)
340 – 500+ mcg
Risk of Selenosis
Not recommended on a sustained daily schedule. Can lead to chronic selenium accumulation.
Understanding Selenium Toxicity (Selenosis)
Selenosis occurs when selenium builds up in body tissues over several weeks or months of chronic over-consumption. Accidental consumption of a handful at a party will not cause selenosis, but eating 5 to 10 nuts daily for months can. Early warning symptoms documented by the NIH include:
A noticeable garlic-like breath odor and a persistent metallic taste in your mouth.
Brittle, ridged, or splitting fingernails and toenails.
Hair thinning or unusual hair shedding.
Mild gastrointestinal upset, nausea, or unexpected fatigue.
Health Tip: Check your daily multivitamin label. If your multivitamin already supplies 50 to 100 mcg of selenium (as selenomethionine or sodium selenite), stick strictly to one Brazil nut per day to ensure you stay safely within your body's optimal balance.
Wild Amazon Harvest & NOW Foods In-House Lab Testing
Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) are not farmed in manicured commercial orchards. They grow wild in pristine Amazonian rainforest canopies, towering up to 160 feet tall. When the heavy coconut-like pods ripen, they drop to the damp forest floor where native harvesters collect them.
Because wild forest floors are warm and humid, raw Brazil nuts are naturally susceptible to fungal mold contamination (such as Aspergillus) and environmental heavy metals drawn up through extensive tree root networks. This is where NOW Foods' industry-leading quality assurance makes all the difference.
NOW Foods operates one of the most advanced analytical private testing facilities in North America, running over 19,000 to 31,000 analytical tests monthly. Every production batch of raw organic Brazil nuts passes through strict contaminant checkpoints before packaging:
Aflatoxin Screening (HPLC & LC-MS/MS):
Aflatoxins are toxic byproducts generated by storage molds. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces a strict action level of 20 parts per billion (ppb) for total aflatoxins in Brazil nuts (CPG Sec. 570.200). NOW chemists utilize High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to screen raw lots, enforcing internal thresholds that ensure nuts test clean and safe.
Heavy Metal Quantification (ICP-MS):
Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), NOW tests for trace environmental heavy metals—including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury—down to parts-per-billion levels to confirm raw materials stay well below state, federal, and international safety guidelines.
Microbial Pathogen Screen:
Since these nuts are unroasted, each incoming lot undergoes comprehensive microbiological testing to confirm the complete absence of harmful foodborne organisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
NOW Fresh Fill Technology:
Unsaturated fatty acids spoil quickly when exposed to atmospheric oxygen. NOW packages these nuts using specialized nitrogen-barrier flushing that purges oxygen from the package, locking in natural farm-fresh crunch and preventing oil oxidation.
Contains tree nuts (Brazil nuts). Packaged in a dedicated peanut-free facility that processes other tree nuts. Free from corn, dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, artificial preservatives, and added oils.
Nutrition Facts
About 15 servings per container
Serving sizeabout 5 nuts (19g)Amount per servingCalories
130
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g17%Saturated Fat 3g15%Trans Fat 0gCholesterol 0mg0%Sodium 0mg0%Total Carbohydrate 2g1%Dietary Fiber 1g4%Total Sugars 0gIncludes 0g Added Sugars0%Protein 3gVitamin D 0mcg0%Calcium 30mg2%Iron 0.5mg2%Potassium 125mg2%Magnesium 71mg15%Selenium 59mcg110%
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
How to Store & Enjoy Raw Organic Brazil Nuts
Because NOW Real Food® Brazil Nuts are completely raw, unroasted, and free from synthetic preservatives, their natural plant lipids require proper handling to maintain peak flavor and nutritional strength.
Storage Guidelines: Keep Them Crunchy and Fresh
Refrigeration (Best for Daily Use): Once opened, seal the pouch tightly or transfer the nuts into a glass airtight jar and keep them in the refrigerator. Cool temperatures protect delicate polyunsaturated fatty acids from turning bitter or rancid for up to 6 months.
Freezing (Long-Term Storage): If you purchase multiple bags, you can freeze unopened or opened bags for up to 12 months. The low moisture content ensures they won't turn soggy upon thawing.
Room Temperature: If stored in a pantry cabinet, keep away from direct sunlight and heat sources (stoves, dishwashers), and consume within 3 to 4 weeks of opening.
Delicious & Simple Ways to Eat Them
The Daily Ritual: Enjoy 1 nut every morning alongside breakfast as your natural whole-food multimineral.
Breakfast Booster: Finely chop 1 or 2 nuts over oatmeal, chia pudding, or Greek yogurt for a rich, buttery crunch.
Dairy-Free Creamer: Blend 2 Brazil nuts with water, vanilla, and dates to create an ultra-creamy, heart-healthy homemade plant milk.
Salad Crunch: Slice raw nuts thinly and toss over fresh spinach, arugula, or roasted beet salads.
Why Buy NOW Brazil Nuts from VitaNet, LLC?
Where you buy your raw food supplements matters. Raw nuts sitting in uncontrolled third-party warehouse bins or hot freight containers risk accelerated fat oxidation and mold development.
Independent Family Retailer Since 1995: VitaNet®, LLC is an independent, family-owned business based in Hartville, Ohio[cite: 1]. With over 31 years of dedicated hands-on experience in nutritional supplements and human biochemistry, we personally vet every brand we stock[cite: 1].
Strict Inventory Freshness: We maintain high turnover relationships directly with NOW Foods manufacturing facilities in Bloomingdale, Illinois, ensuring you receive newly packaged, freshly harvested lots.
Everyday Volume Value: We pass wholesale savings directly to you, providing premium brand-name supplements at up to 50% off MSRP without compromising quality or safety[cite: 1].
100% Unconditional Money-Back Guarantee: We stand behind every product we sell. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, VitaNet provides an unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—we even pay the return shipping cost on opened items[cite: 1]!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many Brazil nuts should I eat per day for selenium?
For healthy adults, 1 to 2 Brazil nuts per day provides between 68 and 182 mcg of selenium. This comfortably satisfies the adult daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (55 mcg) without risking excess buildup.
Why do Brazil nuts contain so much more selenium than almonds or walnuts?
Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) grow massive root systems deep in the organic selenium-rich soil of the Amazon basin. These trees naturally hyperaccumulate selenium from the earth and deposit it inside their edible seed pods.
What happens if you eat too many Brazil nuts?
Consistently eating large quantities (5 or more daily over several weeks or months) can cause selenium toxicity, known as selenosis. Common symptoms include garlic breath, a metallic taste in the mouth, brittle nails, hair thinning, and stomach upset.
Are NOW Real Food Organic Brazil Nuts raw or roasted?
They are 100% raw, unsalted, and unroasted. No added cooking oils, salts, or flavorings are used, preserving the nut's natural enzymes and delicate fatty acids.
How does NOW Foods test Brazil nuts for mold and aflatoxins?
NOW Foods operates ISO/IEC 17025 accredited analytical laboratories. Every batch is evaluated with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry to verify total aflatoxins remain well below the strict FDA 20 ppb action level, while ICP-MS confirms heavy metal purity.
Can I eat Brazil nuts if I take a thyroid medication or multivitamin?
Yes, but check your multivitamin first. If your multivitamin already supplies 55 to 100 mcg of selenium, stick to just 1 Brazil nut daily. If you are being treated for a diagnosed thyroid condition, consult your healthcare provider to ensure your total selenium intake fits your personal care plan.
Should I keep the bag in the refrigerator after opening?
Yes. Refrigeration is strongly recommended after opening to preserve the raw oils, protect freshness, and prevent the nuts from drying out or turning rancid. For extended storage up to a year, they can be safely frozen.
