Thursday, November 15, 2007

Brazil nut overdose


For the past several weeks, I have been doing research for a website about different natural foods and their nutritional values. In the course of this research, I discovered Brazil nuts as an abundant source of the mineral selenium. So few fruits or vegetables have significant levels of selenium, which is an important mineral for heart and joint health. Brazil nuts are chock full of it. Just 6 nuts have almost 800% of the recommended daily allowance of selenium.

So naturally, I went out and bought myself a bag of Brazil nuts and decided to eat a few every day. I've been eating 3 or 4 (sometimes 5) Brazil nuts each day for over a week now. I didn't want to eat too many because I had also read that, like most vitamins and minerals, eating too much can be toxic. When I was pulling today's 3 nuts out of the bag, I thought to myself, "I wonder if I will be able to tell if I've consumed toxic levels of selenium."

Not 20 minutes had passed after that thought and I was leaning over the toilet waiting to throw up. My stomach felt like it was full of rocks and was making some rather angry noises. In between extreme bouts of nausea, I looked up selenium toxicity to see what the symptoms were. WHFoods.com confirmed my suspicion:
Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, skin lesions, abnormalities in the beds of the fingernails, and fingernail loss can all be symptomatic of selenium toxicity. Levels of selenium necessary to trigger these toxicity symptoms aren't usually obtained from food, since selenium-rich foods contain about 30-50 micrograms of selenium per serving. (Brazil nuts would be an exception here, since they average about 70-90 micrograms per nut).

When I told my ever-loving, ever-supportive partner about my Brazil nut overdose, he determined that my conclusion was absurd and it must be something else that made me sick. I don't want to compare him to the jackass doctors who told me I couldn't possibly be allergic to gluten, despite the incontrovertible evidence supporting my diagnosis, but if the shoe fits...

As it turns out, according to his boss, selenium poisoning via Brazil nuts just happened to be the topic on the show House last week and the patient suffered some of the same symptoms. So now he thinks I'm a genius. I guess if it's on TV, it must be true.

It took about 3-1/2 hours for the nausea to pass, but I think I'm finally in the clear. The lesson here is, Brazil nuts good. Many Brazil nuts very very bad.

104 comments:

Linda Murphy said...

Wow, I like Brazil nuts, but I had no idea the amount could be toxic.

Hope you are feeling better. That is crazy!

Anonymous said...

I'm honestly unsure as to whether I've ever had a Brazil nut. I mean, I'm sure I must have had one at some point, but I can't think of when.

Anonymous said...

I'm kinda freaking out i just ate 19 because mens health said they improve your memory and i'm studying for exams and now im feeling sick... what should i do

Diana said...

Ew, sorry anonymous. I wouldn't fret. I don't think eating 19 Brazil nuts is a big deal. You just need to ride out the nausea for a few hours. You'll be fine.

Cardoso said...

I´m watching the exact same episode right now. But that´s curious, I eat TONS of Brazil nuts, not 4 or 5, but usually over 10. Of course a few hours later I´m stuck to the john, because they´re really greasy.

I don´t feel ANY of the symptons, and never realized those nuts could be dangerous.

Maybe I´m imune, or maybe because I´m brazilian, the nuts don´t harm me. It´s an Union rule ;)

Anonymous said...

I ate 40 brazil nuts today in one sitting. I didn't have any immediate obvious side effects. Should I be worried that some of the less obvious ones that seem like they would take time will happen (like skin lesions, loss of nails/hair)?

Diana said...

I'm not a medical professional or anything, but I would guess that if you feel fine then there is nothing to worry about. If you eat that many repeatedly, you may just want to stay aware of any nausea or other symptoms you have, if any.

Another person just commented that Brazil nuts don't bother him at all, so maybe some people can handle all the selenium.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the quick response, Diana. Although this is exactly the kind of thing I worry about too much, your post has helped me feel a bit better. I'll try not to worry about it. Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience with the Brazil nuts. It appears that you may either have had an allergic reaction to it, or perhaps there was something (mold?) on the nuts which made you sick.

For your information, I have been consuming about 50 Brazilian nuts a day for the past 3 months with no signs of toxicity! In order to get the therapeutic effects one can go all the way up to 2000 mcg for short durations (see link #1). There was also a study done at UCLA showing that the folks living in the mid-western states having high selenium (in excess of 700 mcg) with no signs of toxicity (see link #2). At any rate, there is no reason to write selenium off as you may been just allergic to the Brazilian nuts. Have you tried supplementing it with other natural food sources (see link #1) ? Best of luck to you.

Link # 1 -- http://www.acu-cell.com/ses.html
Link # 2 -- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2021136

Anonymous said...

Yeah that was one of my favorite episodes! My favorite part was when Wilson realized House wasn't lying about working for the CIA... Anyway, I don't think there is any possible way to get an acute toxicity like that from so few nuts... or even several hundred. Unless of course, they are Brazil nuts from certain regions in Brazil AND you eat several hundred... which that guy did in that episode. Go to google and put in: Chemosphere, 30: 4, 1995 Feb, 801-2 if need some confirmation. Brazil nuts that contain such a high selenium content are also illegal to import in the U.S. I do believe... Also, I'm no doctor but I'm still pretty sure there is no way you could get selenium poisoning 20 minutes after ingesting them. Keep in mind that it also said abnormalities in the fingernail beds, skin lesions and hair loss, all of which you didn't get and couldn't get after 20 minutes.
For anyone who's too scared to eat Brazil nuts but still wants to get their selenium I recommend getting the Life Extension brand Super Selenium Complex. It is only selenium supplement(that I have found) which contains a good amount of methylselenocysteine, a form of the mineral that the body is able keep stored-up for when it actually needs it. Sort of like a selenium pro-vitamin I guess :)
And no, I am not some guy who works for them! I just love vitamins and blogging!

Diana said...

Uncle! Uncle! I concede everyone! It was probably not a Brazil nut overdose that made me sick. I am not a medical professional. Maybe I'm slightly allergic, maybe my nuts were spoiled, maybe I ate something else that day. Could be anything. But it is still a funny story, isn't it??? :)

Seriously though, I do genuinely appreciate the education from all of those who left comments. Health and diet is a hobby of mine and I always enjoy learning new things. Thanks!!!

Anonymous said...

Yesterday I ate a lot Brazilian Nut(from Whole Food), and little after I started to have stomach and body ache, nausea and diahrrea I suspect food poisoning, so i tried google to see is Brazilian nut could be the problem and that the way that i found this thread.

Anonymous said...

I just ate about 7 brazil nuts about an hour ago...my head started getting hot and my feet went numb. I couldn't feel my fingertips. My lower back started aching like an ax was splitting it down the spine. Then suddenly, I died........

Anonymous said...

64 years old,not on any meds. blood sugar 42 this am and practitioner gave me 3 sugar pills and it rose to 80 after 15 minutes.first ever problems. i started 2 brazil nuts and 1 oz pomagranate juice each morning any chance brazil causing low sugar?

Diana said...

I've never heard of Brazil nuts causing low sugar. I have heard of high fat foods causing HIGH blood sugar because fat blocks our body's ability to absorb and process sugar, thereby leaving it in the bloodstream for longer. That's according to Doug Graham's book, 80/10/10 Diet.

But with only 2 Brazil nuts, it doesn't really seem like that would do much either way. Then again, I'm no expert on these matter.

Anonymous said...

Obviously, subject before posting, because after munching through half a pack of brazil nuts in the past few days and eating a few more today in a pack of varied fruit and nut, I've belatedly realised it is actually making me not feel well.

So in my experience, yes, brazil nuts (and presumably selenium, since my reaction has been unique to eating brazil nuts), can make you feel very weird in quantity.

My symptoms have been nauseous, but far more worryingly a disconnection with reality, a peculiar light-headedness. God knows how that's happened, I'm going to read up a bit more on selenium I think, but the symptoms have occurred in the one to two hours immediately after eating the damn things, on their own, raw. Most unpleasant!

Carl, Coventry, UK

Maria Paula said...

To much bazilian nuts can cuse you to go often to bathroom, so it is very, very rare to be intoxicated by brazillian nuts.

I have already ate lot, lots of brazilian nuts and never happened anything to me, but then I am brazilian and maybe our tolerance for selenium is higher...

However, doctors in Brazil recommend eating ONE nut a day with TWO dried apricot (the sweet one). It keeps you healthy and prevents early skins wrinkles and some olderly diseases.

Brazilian Nuts are NOT called Brazilian Nuts in Brazil, but rather CASTANHA DO PARÁ (Para castanien), because they are actually found in Pará, one of our biggest states. What you haven't notice at House episode is that the CIA agent was ILEGALLY in Brazil, therefore he could no say he was in Pará/Brazil.

Anonymous said...

haha, i eat 1kilo brazils or almonds a day at least and i'm fine

Anonymous said...

.. seriously though... i do

Rubens H. Winckler said...

dude, I'm Brazilian, I eat like 20 of those everyday

jugfingers said...

dude Im pretty sure you didn't OD on selenium

House has also featured an episode where someone OD's on sunflower seeds because they can't eat lots of vitamin B6. but there isn't that much b6 in sunflower seeds and to even get the RDA youd have to eat a few cups. which isn't even that much b6.

perhaps the Brazil nuts were rancid? the inside should be completely brilliant white and they should taste delicious.

anyways brazil nuts are rape high in selenium but 4-5 isn't gonna cause an OD.ami

Anonymous said...

I am Brazilian and my hubby is a Canadian, last month he called me saying that he wasnt feeling well, that the only different thing he eat was a bag of Brazilian nuts!

Anonymous said...

I'm recovering after eating 20Brazil nuts - 2 hours later started throwing up - lasted all night, had a bit of a fever too and am only just feeling better on the 3rd day. Mmm, interesting to think it could possibly be a selenium overdose.

tom quartz said...

besides selenium, brazil nuts also contain high levels of barium and radioactive radium, hundreds of times higher than other foods. Also aflatoxins, toxins produced by molds like aspergillis can cause allergic reactions. along with brazil nuts, peanuts and corn also have high levels of these mold toxins, which may be why they are some of the most allergy inducing foods.

i dont know what causes this nausea, but i know after eating somewhere between 10-20 nuts, i had an uncanny feeling of sickness in my tummy. i just ate 5 however and did not have any problem, its probably in the amount we eat, and if its happening to this many people it must be real. as to the cause, i am not sure. but eating few at a time will help

Anonymous said...

you are a bunch of hypochondriacs. Jesus...
as someone mentioned earlier, it was probably allergic reaction or something else you ate with the nuts or C(can it be be possible) SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED!!!?

Anonymous said...

if you had radiation poisoning from the nuts you sure wouldn't be able to "ride it out". Get an eduction.

Unknown said...

it has been shown there is a large variation in selenium content of brazil nuts. and as a general rule unshelled nuts contain far higher levels than ones which were shelled long before you bought them, which is the typical case outside of South America, AFAIK. So the number required to reach toxicity levels in one sitting could be anywhere from 15 to 150 nuts, just to throw out a rough ballpark range. Apparently, for the nuts most of us are consuming, the toxic quantity is up at the high end. In the case of the House episode, it is significant that the patient was in Brazil; he may have gorged on his usual quantity of nuts, but being fresh and unshelled, the selenium content of these nuts was many times higher than he would have been accustomed to in the US.
Keep in mind, you need selenium. It is an important nutrient required only at low levels.

Anonymous said...

Selenium mobilzes the toxic metal mercury from fat all over your body. Mercury is sometimes stored in the body (for example if you have mercury -grey- fillings in your mouth and grind your teeth in your sleep, or eat a lot of predator fish) you may have very high mercury levels.
This is very likely what is making you sick. make sure you have high levels of vitamin C in your body before eating brazil nuts, as this helps remove the mercury. 150 years ago no one had mercury in the body

Anonymous said...

I just had a urine test for heavy metals (I was worried about arsenic from our well water), and it came back that my urine had 40 times the average level of Barium.

After days of racking my brains and googling, I started looking at Brazil nuts. They are exceedingly high in Barium, which is a toxic heavy metal.

I often eat Brazil nuts, and for a week or so before the test, I was eating maybe 1/2 lb, every 3rd or 4th day.

I don't know whether the nuts are the source of the Barium overload, but I don't have any other explanation that makes even the slightest sense.

I'm going to be cutting them out of my diet from now on. I read that macadamia nuts are a good alternative source of Selenium.

cristi oprescu said...

i eat brazil nuts and almonds like there is no tomorrow. over 10 brazil nuts a day, and over 25 almonds a day. never had any problems. now, the thing is that i buy only in-shell nuts, so that might be a factor, dunno...

Anonymous said...

It must be something from Brazil nut that made me sick. Brazil nut is very different from other nuts. It's a shame we know so little about its danger and there is no warning about it. I will never eat it again.

Anonymous said...

The important thing here is "in moderation"
Eating Brazil nuts that could contain relatively high selenium is not a bad thing, quiet the opposite , this selenium has great benefits for the human body. Just dont eat 1lb of them regularly!
Google the benefits of Selenium!

Anonymous said...

I introduced Brazil nuts in the family and had been taking 1 a day for the past about a year and experiencing hair loss for all of us. We recently realized that the hair loss to the family members (3 of us) is attributed to the consumption of the Brazil nuts. Our conclusion is based on the fact that this was the only new item introduced in our daily diet. Having suffered the consequences we have now decided to stop its consumption. We don't know if we would be able to reverse the hair loss or stop the hair loss process. This is something we are going to talk to our doctor. We fully realize that each body reacts differently and causes different side affects; as in our case it was hair loss, while in our cases there were all types of different side affects. Seems like even good stuff in quantity more than your body can take can cause side affects adverse to your body. Listening to your body reaction is very important. You just have to play detective with your body responses and retract your steps to go back to the root cause. Sometime it could be challenging and might not lead to right conclusions. But you just have to take that chance than to not take it to find the cause of your physical problem.

Wendy said...

In the past my kids and I had issues with certain foods but realized organic ones were fine. ie. a non organic apple gives my 7 yr old son and I a splitting headache within 15 minutes...same for a non organic banana despite the skin on it.

We have all had issues with nuts in the past. I was buying from my local hfs, then tried from the bulk barn but still everyone seemed to have sore tummies, headaches, mood swings, rashes.

6 months ago I came across a place on the West Coast (I am in Canada) that sells realrawfood and their nuts and seeds are certified organic and come directly from the growers- they are not irridated, sprayed, nor pastuerized (as many nuts are now) and we are all enjoying them without any issues whatsoever. The freshness is fabulous and it's cheap to buy in bulk!!! This includes brazil nuts, pistachios, almonds, pecans etc. I am able to taste nuts that are rancid before anyone else in my family can even taste them- and I have never had a problem with any of the nuts from this place. Also I make sure to refrigerate them all so they don't go bad. Interestingly I can purchase these nuts $2 a pound cheaper then the local bulk barn sells crappy ones for. When I soak the bulk barn nuts for making almond milk the following morning the water is clouding and somewhat slimy with the crap from these almonds- scary to think what it is. When i soak true raw almonds this does not happen!! Soooooo long story short, if people are reacting to a small amount of 'brazil nuts' it very well could be what has been put on them that they are allergic too. Most manufactures do not need to admit they use preservatives but they do. Just my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

im on this forum because i was eating brazil nuts en mass late last night while reading a forum on how good they are. my fault for gorging. i have what feels like a litre of excess acid in my stomach and mild nausea, but most disturbingly is a lightheadedness and 'out of it' feel, which i could describe as similar to vertigo. been in bed since i woke gettn up only for many unfortunate lavatory visits. wrote all this with on screen keyboard with my mouse as cannot sit up for long. cheers for the whinge.

Paul T (UK) said...

I used to buy a 250g or 500 bag of Brazils (amongst other bags of various fruits & nuts) every two or three weeks - the only thing I noticed was being slightly bloated after eating a dozen or so - and I used to snack on 10-30 every day - I'm not dead yet (famous last wo...

Anonymous said...

Selenium is a chelator (heavy metals) and a nutrient for your thyroid. You only need a tiny amount for its nutritional benefits. Too much can stimulate your thyroid -- maybe the cause for the "out of it" feeling, the loss of hair (since the thyroid controls hair, nails, skin). As a previous posted noted, having a sufficient amount of Vit. C will help with moving things out of the body, but if you have or suspect a thyroid issue, moderation or taking in account this w/your meds is important and to be watched.

DV Alley said...

Relying on a television show for medical information, regardless of how good looking Dr. Cutty may be, is probably not the best prescription. Most nuts have a very high fat content. Brazil nuts, in particular, have incredibly high levels of saturated fats, which probably explains the "rocks" in your stomach.

Too much of a good thing = a bad thing.

I just ate about 10 of them though, so I'm really just hoping the House/CIA episode made you feel like you were kicked in the nuts.

Anonymous said...

i just ate 2 brazil nuts and i farted.. am i going 2 die? :(

Anonymous said...

I ate around 20 brazil nuts.within a couple of weeks i had a bald spot appear on my head.brazil nuts are evil

Anonymous said...

This website is brilliant and it helps me make smarter decisions. Try it http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

And I think 2 brazil nuts a day is sufficient.

Anonymous said...

Gues how I stumbled to this blog post? 35 minutes ago I was in shop, coming back with bag of b.n. Eated 15 of them during walk. My stomach very shortly started doing some big job! Upper it was like lot of pressure, and then down through intestine lot of noise and "pumping". Big things come out :)I decided to throw up to release some of b.n. so reduce the selenium amount.

So I guess now is everything ok.

Good food, but I will be cautious. Eat 5 of them a day.

Spannoola said...

You're all bloody funny!
Especially the many Anonymous ppl who died.. and the farting person - cos farts are funny!

DAMN IT! I LOVE brazil nuts. But will just not gorge on them now. Why, well, can't be farting at work now can we????
Throwing up is FINE - get to go home.... MAYBE I SHOULD ...... hhmmm....

:)
Cheers,
Anna (Melb, Australia)

Melissa said...

Brazil nuts definitely make me sick. I was getting into the habit of eating mixed nuts, (especially the Brazils) and several times, got ill about 20 minutes later and had to lay down. I quit eating mixed nuts out a can, but still had pecan pie, peanut brittle and walnuts. It began to dawn on me that I had no problem eating all of THOSE nuts. Now I eat mixed nuts again, and as long as I steer clear of the Brazils, I am okay. As far as I know, this is the ONLY food that makes me feel bad…

Anonymous said...

If the selenium content in a particular batch of Brazil nuts is about 40 mg/kg and 5 mg can kill an adult and bioavailability is 100% then 125 grams of Brasil nuts could kill a person.

If the selenium content in a particular batch of Brazil nuts is about 10 mg/kg and 5 mg can kill an adult and bioavailability is 50% then 1 kilogram of Brasil nuts could kill a person.

I really like Brasil nuts and would eat a big handful at a time, but I have only one liver and I want to keep that one, so I feel eating mixed nuts in moderation might be wiser.

Anonymous said...

Hello everybody, I'm only posting a link about selenium, pointing out food radiactivity issues which have always been out there no matter if we want it or not and it's stated in it, that brasil nuts got radium content 1000 time higher than any other food, how about that - maby that what makes some sick. Here you go - your link ; http://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/consumer%20products/brazilnuts.htm

Anonymous said...

On the subject of Brazil nuts, I think you are all on the wrong track here.
The reason you have been getting sick from relatively few Brazil nuts is not the selenium content, rather it could be aflatoxin poisoning.
Did you know that Brazil nuts are banned
in some parts of Europe because of aflatoxin contamination?

Unknown said...

Had severe stomach cramps and emptied out in the bathroom this morning. Couldn't figure out what I could have have eaten that would cause this except the big bowl of Brazilian Nuts I finished in front of the basketball games on TV yesterday and now that I've found your blog I'm convinced!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure how I ended up here but all I know is that I started eating a mixture of nut including BRAZIL NUTS! pumkin seeds and pine nuts and after a few days everything I eat tastes aweful - kind of metallic. Do I have some kind of heavy metal poisoning? Anyone else get a funny taste in their mouth?

Diana said...

Hi Feb. 5 Anonymous - I really don't know the answer to your question, but I have noticed that Brazil nuts taste metallic to me sometimes. And when you eat something disagreeable, it does often show up on your tongue in the form of mucus and plaque and whatever other grossness. Maybe your body is detoxing out the bad stuff?

Umberto said...

Hmm. It takes a whole lot longer than 3 1/2 hourse to clear a heavy metal like selenium, even with chelation, so whatever it was that made you ill surely wasn't Se toxicity. Often a med student will "contract" a disease that they've just read about. Maybe that's what happened to you.

Anonymous said...

Just looked up nut poisoning and found your posts, how interesting and funny!
My experience is as follows: Spent last night on the toiliet after having bad stomach cramps, generally feeling unwell and a feeling of not being in the room all day, (I'd blamed that on the muggy heat)
Im now convinced it's the 20 odd brazil nuts i bought from the health food shop, trying to be healthy!
I'm a regular mixed nut eater but not normally just brazil nuts on their own and in that quantity.
I think my lesson is less is more.

blkscent said...

Just ran across this post and found it very interesting. I eat all kinds of nuts about 2 ounces daily since I was a child. It's almost as it I crave them. As well as dried fruit. I beleive that we should enjoy these nuts (if not allergic) in the moderation that our own body tells us it can tolerate and how often we should consume them. It will be different for everyone. I personally am glad that I can consume them without any complications. No farting, nausea, abdominal rocks or frequent bathroom visits. I do notice that for my age 47 all of my lab results are well within normal range, EKG is normal sinus rythm, cholesterol 160 and all of my female hormone levels are in the range of a 25 year old women. I haven't even started menopause yet. My doctor says, I may not enter into menopause for another 20 or so years. I don't know if that is good or bad, but in the mean time I continue to eat my mixed nuts daily. Wish you all good physical and mental health.

Unknown said...

Try soaking the Brazil Nuts. Just 3 hours in a bowl of water will make them so much easier to digest :)

Anonymous said...

I was born in Brazil and lived there until I was 29 years old. I recall when I was a poor student in college I used to buy a little bag of Brazil Nuts (Castanha do Para) and eat them for lunch. Each bag had about 8-9 nuts and was able to keep me satisfied until dinner time. I did that on and off during my college years and sometimes a week would pass when I only had Brazil nuts for lunch. I was surprised that in America people regard this nut as poisonous...

Anonymous said...

3-4, sometimes 5 nuts a day for over a week and you think you were poisoned?? I would strongly suggest more research into selenium poisoning before writing such articles, being accurate never hurts anyone. If brazil nuts were toxic (much less poisonous) at such a small level of exposure they would be on the controlled substances list along with mandrake root and several other toxic/poisonous plants, and wouldn't be available for sale in the US. Please research before you post such frivolous and factually lacking articles. As you can see, there ARE people out there who will believe anything in print.

Anonymous said...

One week ago, I experienced the worst case of food poisoning in my life. I actually thought I was a goner after becoming too weak to call an ambulance.

I rarely eat almonds and never Brazil nuts. Hungry for something to munch on while watching a football game, I ate the almonds and Brazil nuts left in the bottom of my mixed nut container and drank one beer. After a few hours
I felt some indigestion and later suffered the most painful night of my life.

Still feeling some discomfort a week later, I googled poison nuts and found this thread. Never again Brazil nuts. I prayed to God that night I was so scared and Im thankful I survived.

Anonymous said...

I rarely eat almonds and never Brazil nuts. Hungry for something to snack on while watching a football game, I ate the almonds and Brazil nuts in the bottom of a mixed nut container and drank one beer..

A few hours later I lay down with slight tummy ache. Later that night I experience the worst case of food poisoning in my life. I became too week and in too much pain to even call an ambulance. I thought I was a goner and I even prayed to God..

Still feeling a tender stomach a week later I googled poison beer/ poison nuts and found this thread. I dont know what else it could be? I will never eat brazil nuts again and I thank God I survived. I hope too recover completely.

Anonymous said...

I rarely eat almonds and never Brazil nuts. Hungry for something to snack on while watching a football game, I ate the almonds and Brazil nuts in the bottom of a mixed nut container and drank one beer..

A few hours later I lay down with slight tummy ache. Later that night I experience the worst case of food poisoning in my life. I became too week and in too much pain to even call an ambulance. I thought I was a goner and I even prayed to God..

Still feeling a tender stomach a week later I googled poison beer/ poison nuts and found this thread. I dont know what else it could be? I will never eat brazil nuts again and I thank God I survived. I hope too recover completely.

fuquinay said...

Don't concede. Everybody's body is different. I think I had twenty Brazil nuts today, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I thought it might be the nuts because I love them, and I haven't eaten them in ages, so when my husband brought them home last night, I tore open the bag. I don't eat carbs, so I load up on nuts.

I'm not going to eat that many tomorrow. But I really do think it gave me an upset stomach. That's what led me to your blog.

A True Nut said...

I food processed some with some almonds and walnuts and added all that to my pancakes this morning. So so good. Just waiting for any adverse effects. I've eaten a lot of Brazil nuts before without any issues so I'm anticipating no issues..... :)

Anonymous said...

"When people have no heavy or toxic metal concentrations in their body (that bind to selenium), there are
generally no negative symptoms experienced when taking about 200 mcg of selenium a day, however when
Se is very low when first supplemented (perhaps due to toxic / heavy metal storage), and larger amounts are
taken, adverse effects are very commonly experienced the first few weeks due to the heavy or toxic metals
being eliminated by the body. In that case, I always urge my patients to slowly increase their selenium dose
from as low as 25 mcg per day (or even lower), up to eventually the full dose, which generally is around 100
mcg, or sometimes higher, depending on circumstances."

Anonymous said...

It could be that there was samonella or E coli on the nuts. That happens.

I'm experiencing hair loss.
So I came here to read about it.
I only eat 1 to 3 nuts a day but for a long time.
Also Raisins and Mackeral are changes to my diet.

I don't want to go bald

Sareena Saulter said...

Hello my name is Sareena and i'm in the process of reseacher different things for my health that i can use naturally i just happen to come across the Brazillian Nut which i was reading that if you just eat 1 a day could save you from colon cancer and also learned that they are high in selenium. Doctors in the University of Arizona found that men with high levels of selenium are six times less likely to develop colon cancer than man with low levels, so just eat 1 a day and you will be fine. I think it's great that you shared your experience and i'm beginning to start my blogs to help people on an lot of different things hope that you will be an guest writer on my blogs. God Bless!

Anonymous said...

i've been munching aplasticbag packfull of of shelled brazil nuts infront of my old tv while siting onmy smelly weelchir after 1 week i was able to stand out of my wheelchair to make tea for myself without anybodys help paralysis/ stroke cured without knowing? miracle i think. i never went tobe noseated at all then ilearned to use a mortar and pestle to pound nuts to bits so i cold chow easily to finish another 200g pack in 1 seatingso as not to agitate my mercury filled teeth crownsnextmonth i'll play tennis again after this stroke paralysis haha youll see me in wimbildone

Anonymous said...

I recently started eating Brazil Nuts and my heart palpitations have significantly improved.

Shastaphilo said...

I once had a reaction brazil nuts when I was a kid, and avoided them for years. My throat swelled up, as I recall. Now I eat them regularly, often using them in raw food recipes, such as crusts,veggie burgers, granola, etc., or just straight out of the bag, with never a reaction. These grow wild, and apparently cannot be cultivated, so by eating them, one helps to preserve the Amazon.

Anonymous said...

I Think the problem most people have is when you find something good for you everyone wants the quick fix, Wow if i take 100 it'll boost my levels really high!

but most medication doesn't work like that Brazil nuts act like a supplement you need to take one daily for best results more will flood your body with levels its not used to.

Try not to eat more than 2 a day you get more than your required from just one!

Info To Help Build Your Business & Life! said...

I just want everyone to be careful, you know if now we all know that there toxic if you eat to many why overdo eat,i know that there good for you and i would like to try them. Where do i find Brazil Nuts?

Anonymous said...

Hello I do not agree with all of you!

Anonymous said...

Next time make sure you take the shells off first.

Sérgio said...

I'm brazilian, and I eat near 20 or more "castanhas do Pará' each day. And I have no desease or sick. I dont understand the fear.


Sry for my english.

Anonymous said...

I just had about 10 brazil nuts and I find to my horror that I just cannot stop dancing Samba ;)

Anonymous said...

i have been eating these nuts for the past five days about 10 a day will i get sick? :(

Anonymous said...

I had a horrible pain in my lower chest and felt super sick after eating about 20 of them. I used to love Brazil nuts but now they kinda scaare me. It is usual for some people to have a harder time processing nuts than others. I would just eat them in moderation like everything else unless you have an abnormal reaction over afew.

Anonymous said...

It was on House so it MUST be true. However, I must be invincible then seeing as I've survived brazil nut eating contests. Or maybe I'm a ghost... who knows.

Mwahahahahahaha!

HOUSE RULES BABY!

Anonymous said...

Two Brazil nuts contain all the selenium your body needs each day. You should not eat more as this is a vitamin that builds up in the body.

Anonymous said...

Bottom line .... do your research. Selenium intake goes hand in hand with iodine intake. Too much selenium intake without iodine intake, not so good. Too much iodine and not enough selenium, no so good either. Selenium is also a mercury magnet. Research that too concerning heavy metal detox. Check out curezone.com - these folks have all this ironed out and is a great place to find other fixes for what ails ya.

Anonymous said...

hahaha. i just ate like 100

Anonymous said...

I like Brazil Nuts but hate cracking them out of the shell. So when I saw them for sale and shelled at Trader Joe's a few years ago, I bought a bag and ate quite a few a day. It became suspect when I got a very bad case of ulcerative colitis. I thought it might have been that they were from China,and maybe had a pesticide or germ on them. After many trips to the hospital the year following, I didn't eat them for years. Then I heard that Trader Joe's no longer sold anything from China, so I tried them again. It has been a few months, and I have had raw areas in my mouth ever since. Had found out about the radiation, but didn't know about the Selenium.

andra said...

I'm not saying that you can't get food poisoning from Brazil Nuts but I for one doubt it. This is based on my personal experience. Without knowing whether it can or cannot have any adverse effects I've been eating between 90-180 grams of them almost on a daily basis for at least 2-3 weeks now. Oh and yes, do not go to curezone.com. I've visited the various blogs quite a bit and they're all filled with paranoid maniacs who poison themselves half to death.

elshalom said...

Well, using the word litely, I just experienced the brazil nuts effected; this is why I'v found this page. I started to feel the effects after two, but was in the restroom by five, also I find this to happen with reg. peanuts {In my older age}, but not with cashews or the one that start with a P:-)Go figure.

elshalom said...

Well, using the word litely, I just experienced the brazil nuts effected; this is why I'v found this page. I started to feel the effects after two, but was in the restroom by five, also I find this to happen with reg. peanuts {In my older age}, but not with cashews or the one that start with a P:-)Go figure.

Puddleg said...

Selenium toxicity is as far as I know cumulative. You would have to exceed 1mg per day for a few weeks to notice in most cases. It shouldn't affect you right away (unless perhaps you live in a high selenium area and are already saturated, or have a sick thyroid plus an iodine deficiency).
Rancid polyunsaturated fats, lectins, aflatoxins are more likely.
A dose of radiation that made you sick would cause other problems such as low immunity, anaemia.

Anonymous said...

All you guys who feel sick after eating Brazil Nuts, it's got nothing to do with their Selenium content. It's much more likely due to the fact that BNs are 69% fat by weight and eating a whole lot of anything that rich is going to make you feel unwell.

Some of the posts are very entertaining though.

Anonymous said...

I have a 'cast iron' stomach and can tolerate any amount of sugary or fatty stuff. I haven't been ill for years. However a few nights ago I ate about 16 nuts. I was laid out all of the following day, shivering with flu like aches and pains and with barely the energy to make it to the toilet (which unfortunately I had to go to frequently). I was a bit better the following day and managed to get out for some rehydration sachets and some bananas.
There should be a health warning on these things.

Anonymous said...

I've been eating about 15 brazil nuts a day for the past month, they keep me feeling full and I'm not snacking.
Best of all though my nails are growing and the surfaces are smooth, no ridges!

Anonymous said...

Woah, hmmm. It isn't really conclusive evidence, but thanks for the warning. I've been starting to eat Brazil nuts. I was doing 1, then 2 for a while because I read it was better, but I've started to really enjoy them and have moved up to 3-4 a day. Maybe I'll go back to 2, lol. I think I will anyway, because nuts are expensive and I already eat too many other nuts.

Unknown said...

You ate to many nuts recommended amount is 2 nuts per day. You should have only 200 mcg a day. Each nut contain 95 mcg.

Jim said...

That's interesting. I did used to eat a few more on occasions, maybe six or seven at a time, but can't remember ever having any reaction to them. I stick to one or two brazil nuts these days though.

MarcusFenix54 said...

Did you that selenium is an element?

JCuffe said...

I'm a raw nut junkie. I buy almonds, macs, pecans, walnuts, cashews, and brazils by the case and keep bags full in the freezer. I seem to grab a fist full every time I pass the kitchen. 2 or 3 of those fists are full of brazils. Also, in the morning, I eat 2 frozen bananas with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of homemade mixed nut butter. All in all, I'd guess I eat about 1500 Cals of nuts everyday and I've never ever had an issue with "selenium toxicity". I understand some may be more sensitive, but I"m not all that sure about it.

Anonymous said...

It would take a repeated high dose daily of selenium to bring on toxic affects from it and bring on symptoms. Those of you who have gotten sick in one sitting from gobbling up piles of Brazil nuts are just having a stomach reaction to the high fat content in the nut. I get sick over eating peanuts. Any oily high fiber nut over dose can make you throw up because its not easy on the digestive system to take that much in one sitting. Between the high fiber and the heavy nut oil, its not a good idea. One little girl died years ago because she over dosed on peanuts. No one knew she was allergic to them. She really wasn't but as much as she ate, triggered the allergic reaction. All things in moderation people!

Anonymous said...

It would take a repeated high dose daily of selenium to bring on toxic affects from it and bring on symptoms. Those of you who have gotten sick in one sitting from gobbling up piles of Brazil nuts are just having a stomach reaction to the high fat content in the nut. I get sick over eating peanuts. Any oily high fiber nut over dose can make you throw up because its not easy on the digestive system to take that much in one sitting. Between the high fiber and the heavy nut oil, its not a good idea. One little girl died years ago because she over dosed on peanuts. No one knew she was allergic to them. She really wasn't but as much as she ate, triggered the allergic reaction. All things in moderation people!

Anonymous said...

It would take a repeated high dose daily of selenium to bring on toxic affects from it and bring on symptoms. Those of you who have gotten sick in one sitting from gobbling up piles of Brazil nuts are just having a stomach reaction to the high fat content in the nut. I get sick over eating peanuts. Any oily high fiber nut over dose can make you throw up because its not easy on the digestive system to take that much in one sitting. Between the high fiber and the heavy nut oil, its not a good idea. One little girl died years ago because she over dosed on peanuts. No one knew she was allergic to them. She really wasn't but as much as she ate, triggered the allergic reaction. All things in moderation people!

Unknown said...

I eat them all winter to avoid the flu. Haven't gotton the flu. Haven't gotton diarrhea either. I don't go overboard on anything I eat. The most Brazil nuts I eat on any given day is 6. I think they are a healthy food and will not give them up. Americans do not get enough selenium in their diet. Eat everything in moderation and you'll do just fine.

Seeking Serendipity said...

Just like anything else, its going to vary per person. There are so many variables -- body weight, height, how you process foods, what you ate with them, what you are used to, etc. Each person is different and only you know what your body is telling you.
I'm one who would rather eat just a couple a day and be safe. After all, if my goal is to increase my selenium intake, I know I've done that with just two a day and am fine. Why push the limit if not needed? Especially if you had a bad experience or reaction with them, then I'd say take the clues your body gave you and avoid eating too many again.
For those of you who are eating lots and not experiencing problems, that is your choice as well of course. For whatever reason, your body does fine with that.
We all react differently to different things. AND our bodies change too. I wasn't lactose or gluten intolerant until after 40. And I've also learned what corn, sugars and caffeine do to my body now which I never realized before. Maybe I'm more in tune to my body, maybe its just age changing it, maybe its the changes in the way the foods are processed... all I know is that if it makes me sick, I'd prefer to avoid them. :)

Unknown said...

Hiya! I too discovered/suspected I was in deep need of selenium for thyroid issues, plus all my life I had brittle soft nails and fine limp hair and my eyes were getting VERY bad (small, pressure, precipitously bad sight). I got only in the shell brazil nuts, so not sprayed byt chemicals, as they do not supposedly to "prevent bacteria growth", but I also hear they dpsray often with the same inc=gredient from rat poison. So I got in shell nuts and crossed my fingers. I ate at least 10 a day for months. After just a couple days my fingernails were hard as rocks and clear, and my eys back to normal, like they had not been in a deacde. Then the end of this year I orderd a mixed variety of nuts in shell and ate a bunch as was. . . violently ill, cramps, spazms. . . just like being poisoned. . . . from rat poison. The almonds were WAY different than the year prior which smelled divine. This years was odorless(oils that go rancid start by losing their odor and I suspect the poisons kill the oil and start the rancidity process). . . And the filberts made me gag after I tried a second run at the nuts with more attention to discover the culpret. I seperated out the almonds and filberts and ate the rest with no issues at all, including the Brazils. Word up folks.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is useful in alerting readers to the possibility of selenium toxicity, and the fact that Brazil nuts, on average, have very high levels of this trace nutrient (perhaps on the order of 540 mcg per ounce, which, to the extent accurate, means an ounce offers ~10-times the suggested daily/RDA of 55 mcg).

Otherwise, readers should consult available, reputable NIH or related medical literature (e.g., https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/, the source of the RDA and Brazil nut data reported here), and their health care providers, rather than reading this blog for anything other than stream-of-consciousness associations between television watching and personal experience. (A layperson's anecdote of nausea associated with consuming ~2000 mcg selenium over a week, followed by an additional ~250 mcg at a further sitting, supplemented by a second lay interpretation, and then by the second's retraction based on viewing House—these, combined, are of the same approximate diagnostic value, that is to say, they are essentially meaningless. Who knows what actually caused the bout of nausea experienced; certainly no one engaged in this dialog.) Prof D

Angela Hernandez said...

I notice that quite often my urine smells of strong metals. I have spent some time ruling out different supplements and foods. I just discovered that it happens each time I have Brazil nuts.
I eat Brazil nuts for my thyroid and I only eat 2 on the days I have them. I find it strange that only 2 Brazil nuts can affect a person so much. I do not have any other symptoms so I am sure it is fine, but I will start to eat just one a day from now on.

Unknown said...

Have to believe it. I just had 2 Brazil nuts (empty stomach except for a cup of coffee). Felt sick immediately, like fainting then threw out.

atelise said...

<3

Loftgirl101 said...

I believe I'm suffering from high selenium levels from eating too many Brazil nuts. I was eating about 4-12 daily for over a year. My symptoms are almost daily and include diarrhea and nausea Extreme fatigue and depression. Also I always smell of garlic (even when it eating any)and have a strange taste in my mouth. My nails and hair have become dry and changed. I've stopped eating them and am hoping to feel improvement. Oh I also have tingling in my fingers. I will say I figured out it was the nuts because the timing between my stomach issues being an hour after consuming the nuts which I see floating on top of the toilet.

Unknown said...

I have a mild form of hypothyroidism and was told to supplement with high quality selenium and also a handful of Brazil nuts a week. I don't eat more than that... I also recommend any raw nuts be stored in the fridge, which not only keeps nut oils and nutrients fresher, but may inhibit the growth of the fungi associated with this nut. Buy in small amounts and a handful a week.