Brazil Nuts, Selenium, & the Smoothie I Drink Almost Every Day

By Sara McGlothlin

Did you know, that in order to increase your selenium levels, all it takes is eating two brazil nuts per day? Why care? Let me back up…

A few months ago at an annual check-up, I had some blood work done. Without boring you too much with the details, it became apparent my thyroid health needed some support. I immediately thought of brazil nuts, as they are high in selenium, a mineral essential for proper thyroid function. It is also a mineral in which many people are deficient, and while supplementation is a possibility, there is a narrow safety window when it comes to selenium. In other words, too much of this mineral can be toxic, so you want to get the levels just right. This study shows that eating just two brazil nuts per day is an effective way of increasing your selenium levels.

That gave me an idea. I typically drink a protein smoothie every day after my workout. Normally, I add a nut butter for some healthy fat, but if I replaced that ingredient with two brazil nuts, I not only would be incorporating healthy fat, I would also be meeting my selenium quota. This comes with the added bonus of decreasing my nut butter consumption, which is something I have a tendency to overeat. It’s easy to do when peanut butter is your favorite food. That being said, I do switch it up from time to time. Sometimes it is walnuts, other times it is macadamia nuts, but I love the added benefit that brazil nuts provide. This is the smoothie I drink most days after my workout.

Blueberry Brazil Nut Smoothie

By incorporating just two brazil nuts into this smoothie, you not only add healthy fat, but a daily dose of selenium, a mineral essential for supporting thyroid health. It's refreshing and blood sugar balancing. Drink this for breakfast or after exercise for a post-workout meal

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Servings 1 serving

Equipment

• High-speed Blender

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk of choice I use unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder I use Be Well By Kelly Vanilla or Truvani Vanilla for plant-based
• 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 brazil nuts

Instructions

 

• Place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Keyword Dairy-free, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Keto-friendly, Oil-free, Paleo, Vegan Option

I also have a recipe for homemade brazil nut milk, which is smooth, creamy, and makes a good substitution for almond or oat milk.