There was once a time when the only occasion that you saw a Brazil nut was when it was wrapped in chocolate and given to Granny at Christmas.

Not so now! What was previously seen as an old-fashioned sweet ingredient, and less popular than pistachios and almonds, is now experiencing something of a resurgence.

It might also come as a surprise to learn that Brazil nuts are packed with a great many benefits for your body.

They are little nutrient-rich balls of goodness that have now got health experts very excited.

Which is why they are increasingly appearing in more and more recipes, as we all try and cram them into our diets.

Obviously, if you have any kind of nut allergies, then Brazil nuts should be avoided, but for everyone else, grab a handful and see what they can do for you!

What are the benefits of Brazil nuts?

As the name suggests, Brazil nuts come from trees native to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and Bolivia.

A Brazil nut is packed full of nutrients, energy and healthy fats as well as selenium, and when consumed over certain quantities is a mineral that is essential for your thyroid and immune system.

This can help to fend off and tackle a huge range of health concerns by eating as little as just two Brazil nuts per day.

If you love Brazil nuts, it is probably good to know they love you too. They are a source of thiamine and when consumed in enough quantities are great for your heart health.

Take a look at our article on ‘Benefits of Brazil nuts’ to find out more about why they are so amazing and what they can do for us.

What can I do with Brazil nuts?

Their flavour is smooth and buttery, which is why it has been typically associated with chocolate. However, they can be eaten raw or blanched and included in all sorts of different recipes.

There are a huge number of recipes that allow you to enjoy Brazil nuts, including working them into your banana bread, fruit cake or sprinkling them on your pancakes.

Brazil nut refried beans

Brazil nuts do not just have to be sweet, and Brazil nut refried beans can then be used in burritos or as a Mexican side dish.

Crush four Brazil nuts and put them into a saucepan with a 400g of kidney beans with all the liquid from the can plus another half a can of water. Then add a clove of garlic, a teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika. Heat them gently for 15 minutes before mashing the beans and continuing to cook until they are soft. Add the juice of two limes with a little seasoning and get ready to serve!

Brazil nuts as snacks

Any easy way to work Brazil nuts into your diet is through snacks, and the Holland & Barrett Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts contain 78.5% cocoa solids and are delicious!

You can also make your own superfood snack by combining half a teaspoon of mixed spice and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a tablespoon of sunflower oil. Mix in 400g of Holland & Barrett Brazil Nuts Pieces and drizzle over a tablespoon of honey.

You can then spread them across a baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes. Then drizzle another tablespoon of honey over them and let them cook for another 10 minutes. Leave them to cool and then tuck in!

Brazil nuts have such a range of benefits, that they should play an essential part of most diets, if you do not have any nut allergies.

You can easily order Brazil nuts online, straight to your door. What’s more, they only need to be consumed in small quantities, which makes them easy to work into all sorts of recipes and snacks.

In fact, you’d be nuts not to!