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Brazil nut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with thebrazilwood tree.

Brazil nut tree
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Lecythidaceae
Genus: Bertholletia
Bonpl.
Species:
B. excelsa
Binomial name
Bertholletia excelsa
Humb.& Bonpl.

TheBrazil nut(Bertholletia excelsa) is aSouth Americantreein the familyLecythidaceae,and it is also the name of the tree's commercially harvested edibleseeds.[2]It is one of the largest and longest-lived trees in theAmazon rainforest.The fruit and itsnutshell– containing the edible Brazilnut– are relatively large and weigh as much as 2 kg (4.4 lb) in total. As food, Brazil nuts are notable for diverse content ofmicronutrients,especially a high amount ofselenium.The wood of the Brazil nut tree is prized for its quality incarpentry,flooring,and heavy construction.

Common names

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In Portuguese-speaking countries, like Brazil, they are variously called "castanha-do-brasil"[3][4](meaning "chestnuts fromBrazil"in Portuguese),"castanha-do-pará"(meaning" chestnuts fromPará"in Portuguese), with other names: castanha-da-amazônia,[5]castanha-do-acre,[6]"noz amazônica"(meaning" Amazonian nut "in Portuguese), noz boliviana, tocari (" probably of Carib origin "[7]), and tururi (fromTupituru'ri[8]) also used.[2]

In various Spanish-speaking countries ofSouth America,Brazil nuts are calledcastañas de Brasil,nuez de Brasil,orcastañas de Pará (or Para).[2][9]

In North America, as early as 1896, Brazil nuts were sometimes known by theslangterm "niggertoes ",[10][11][12]avulgaritythat fell out of use after theracial slurbecamesocially unacceptable.[13][14]

Description

[edit]
Depiction of the Brazil nut inScientific AmericanSupplement,No. 598, June 18, 1887

The Brazil nut is a large tree, reaching 50 metres (160 feet) tall,[15]and with a trunk 1 to 2 m (3 to 7 ft) indiameter,making it among the largest of trees in theAmazon rainforest.It may live for 500 years or more, and can often reach a thousand years of age.[16]Thestemis straight and commonly without branches for well over half the tree's height, with a large, emergent crown of long branches above the surrounding canopy of other trees.

The bark is grayish and smooth. The leaves are dry-seasondeciduous,alternate, simple, entire or crenate, oblong, 20–35 centimetres (8–14 inches) long, and 10–15 cm (4–6 in) broad. The flowers are small, greenish-white, inpanicles5–10 cm (2–4 in) long; each flower has a two-parted, deciduouscalyx,six unequal cream-colored petals, and numerousstamensunited into a broad, hood-shaped mass.[citation needed]

Reproduction

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Brazil nut trees produce fruit almost exclusively in pristine forests, as disturbed forests lack the large-bodied bees of the generaBombus,Centris,Epicharis,Eulaema,andXylocopa,which are the only ones capable ofpollinatingthe tree's flowers, with different bee genera being the primary pollinators in different areas, and different times of year.[17][18][19]Brazil nuts have been harvested from plantations, but production is low and is currently not economically viable.[2][15][20]

A freshly cut Brazil nut fruit

The fruit takes 14 months to mature after pollination of the flowers. The fruit itself is a largecapsule10–15 cm (4–6 in) in diameter, resembling a coconutendocarpin size and weighing up to 2 kg (4 lb 7 oz). It has a hard, woody shell8–12 mm (3⁄8–1⁄2in) thick, which contains eight to 24 wedge-shaped seeds4–5 cm (1+5⁄8–2 in) long (the "Brazil nuts" ) packed like the segments of an orange, but not limited to one whorl of segments. Up to three whorls can be stacked onto each other, with the polar ends of the segments of the middle whorl nestling into the upper and lower whorls (see illustration above).

The capsule contains a small hole at one end, which enables large rodents like theagoutito gnaw it open.[21]They then eat some of the seeds inside while burying others for later use; some of these are able to germinate into new Brazil nut trees.[21]Most of the seeds are "planted" by the agoutis incachesduringwet season,[21]and the young saplings may have to wait years, in a state of dormancy, for a tree to fall and sunlight to reach it, when it starts growing again.Capuchin monkeyshave been reported to open Brazil nuts using a stone as ananvil.

Taxonomy

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The Brazil nut family, the Lecythidaceae, is in the orderEricales,as are other well-known plants such as blueberries, cranberries,sapote,gutta-percha,tea,phlox,andpersimmons.The tree is the only species in themonotypicgenusBertholletia,[2]named after French chemistClaude Louis Berthollet.[22]

Distribution and habitat

[edit]

The Brazil nut is native to theGuianas,Venezuela,Brazil,easternColombia,easternPeru,and easternBolivia.It occurs as scattered trees in large forests on the banks of theAmazon River,Rio Negro,Tapajós,and theOrinoco.The fruit is heavy and rigid; when the fruits fall, they pose a serious threat to vehicles and potential fortraumatic brain injuryof people passing under the tree.[23]

Production

[edit]
Brazil nut production – 2020
Country (tonnes)
Brazil 33,118
Bolivia 30,843
Peru 5,697
World 69,658
Source:FAOSTATof theUnited Nations[24]

In 2020, global production of Brazil nuts (in shells) was 69,658tonnes,most of which derive from wild harvests in tropical forests, especially theAmazonregions ofBrazilandBoliviawhich produced 92% of the world total (table).

Environmental effects of harvesting

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Since most of the production for international trade is harvested in the wild,[25][26]the business arrangement has been advanced as a model for generating income from atropical forestwithout destroying it.[25]The nuts are most often gathered by migrant workers known ascastañeros(inSpanish) orcastanheiros(inPortuguese).[25]Loggingis a significant threat to the sustainability of the Brazil nut-harvesting industry.[25][26]

Analysis of tree ages in areas that are harvested shows that moderate and intense gathering takes so many seeds that not enough are left to replace older trees as they die.[26]Sites with light gathering activities had many young trees, while sites with intense gathering practices had nearly none.[27]

European Union import regulation

[edit]

In 2003, theEuropean Unionimposed strict regulations on the import of Brazilian-harvested Brazil nuts in their shells, as the shells are considered to contain unsafe levels ofaflatoxins,a potential cause ofliver cancer.[28]

Toxicity

[edit]

Brazil nuts are susceptible to contamination byaflatoxins,produced by fungi, once they fall to the ground.[29]Aflatoxins can causeliver damage,including possible cancer, if consumed.[28]Aflatoxin levels have been found in Brazil nuts during inspections that were far higher than the limits set by the EU.[30]However, mechanical sorting and drying was found to eliminate 98% of aflatoxins; a 2003 EU ban on importation[28]was rescinded after new tolerance levels were set.

The nuts often containradium,aradioactiveelement, with a kilogram of nuts containing an activity between 40 and 260becquerels(1 and 7nanocuries). This level of radium is small, although it can be about 1,000 times higher than in other common foods. According toOak Ridge Associated Universities,elevated levels of radium in the soil does not directly cause the concentration of radium, but "the very extensive root system of the tree" can concentrate naturally occurring radioactive material, when present in the soil.[31]Radium can be concentrated in nuts only if it is present in the soil.[32]

Brazil nuts also containbarium,a metal with a chemical behavior quite similar to radium.[33]While barium, if ingested, can have toxic effects, such as weakness, vomiting, or diarrhea,[34]the amount present in Brazil nuts is orders of magnitude too small to have noticeable health effects.

Uses

[edit]
Brazil nuts, dried, unblanched, shelled
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy2,743 kJ (656 kcal)
12.27 g
Starch0.25 g
Sugars2.33 g
Dietary fiber7.5 g
66.43 g
Saturated15.137 g
Monounsaturated24.548 g
Polyunsaturated20.577 g
14.32 g
Tryptophan0.141 g
Threonine0.362 g
Isoleucine0.516 g
Leucine1.155 g
Lysine0.492 g
Methionine1.008 g
Phenylalanine0.630 g
Tyrosine0.420 g
Valine0.756 g
Arginine2.148 g
Histidine0.386 g
Alanine0.577 g
Aspartic acid1.346 g
Glutamic acid3.147 g
Glycine0.718 g
Proline0.657 g
Serine0.683 g
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
51%
0.617 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
3%
0.035 mg
Niacin (B3)
2%
0.295 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
4%
0.184 mg
Vitamin B6
6%
0.101 mg
Folate (B9)
6%
22 μg
Vitamin C
1%
0.7 mg
Vitamin E
38%
5.73 mg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
12%
160 mg
Iron
14%
2.43 mg
Magnesium
90%
376 mg
Manganese
52%
1.2 mg
Phosphorus
58%
725 mg
Potassium
22%
659 mg
Sodium
0%
3 mg
Zinc
37%
4.06 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water3.48 g
Selenium1917 μg
Beta-sitosterol64 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated usingUS recommendationsfor adults,[35]except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation fromthe National Academies.[36]
Brazil nuts after shell removal

Nutrition

[edit]

Brazil nuts are 3% water, 14%protein,12%carbohydrates,and 66%fats(table). The fat components are 16%saturated,24%monounsaturated,and 24%polyunsaturated(see table for USDA source).

In a 100 grams (3.5 ounces) reference amount, Brazil nuts supply 659calories,and are a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value,DV) ofdietary fiber(30% DV),thiamin(54% DV),vitamin E(38% DV),magnesium(106% DV),phosphorus(104% DV),manganese(57% DV), andzinc(43% DV).Calcium,iron,andpotassiumare present in moderate amounts (10-19% DV, table).

Selenium

[edit]
See also:Selenium § Toxicity

Brazil nuts are a particularly rich source ofselenium,with just 28 g (1 oz) supplying 544microgramsof selenium or 10 times the DV of 55 micrograms (see table for USDA source).[37]However, the amount of selenium within batches of nuts may vary considerably.[38]

The high selenium content is used as abiomarkerin studies of selenium intake and deficiency.[39][40]Consumption of just one Brazil nut per day over 8 weeks was sufficient to restore selenium blood levels and increaseHDL cholesterolin obese women.[40]

Oil

[edit]
Brazil nut oil

Brazil nutoilcontains 48%unsaturated fatty acidscomposed mainly ofoleicandlinoleic acids,thephytosterol,beta-sitosterol,[41]and fat-solublevitamin E.[42]

The following table presents the composition of fatty acids in Brazil nut oil (see USDA source in nutrition table):

Palmitic acid 10%
Palmitoleic acid 0.2%
Stearic acid 6%
Oleic acid 24%
Linoleic acid 24%
Alpha-linolenic acid 0.04%
Saturated fats 16%
Unsaturated fats 48%

Wood

[edit]

Thelumberfrom Brazil nut trees (not to be confused withBrazilwood) is of excellent quality, having diverse uses from flooring to heavy construction.[43]Logging the trees is prohibited by law in all three producing countries (Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru). Illegal extraction of timber and land clearances present continuing threats.[44]In Brazil, cutting down a Brazil nut tree requires previous authorization from theBrazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources.[45][46]

Other uses

[edit]

Brazil nut oil is used as alubricantin clocks[47]and in the manufacturing of paint andcosmetics,such as soap and perfume.[43]Because of its hardness, the Brazil nutshell is often pulverized and used as an abrasive to polish materials, such as metals and ceramics, in the same way asjeweler's rouge.Thecharcoalfrom the nut shells may be used to purify water.[43]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toBertholletia excelsa.
Wikispecieshas information related toBertholletia excelsa.
Wikisourcehas the text of the1911Encyclopædia Britannicaarticle "Brazil Nuts".

References

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  1. ^Americas Regional Workshop (Conservation & Sustainable Management of Trees, Costa Rica, November 1996) (1998)."Bertholletia excelsa".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.1998:e.T32986A9741363.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32986A9741363.en.RetrievedDecember 2,2023.
  2. ^abcdeMori, Scott A."The Brazil Nut Industry – Past, Present, and Future".The New York Botanical Garden.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
  3. ^"Nomes comuns: castanha-do-brasil, castanha-do-pará ou castanha-da-amazônia"(PDF).- Folder Embrapa
  4. ^COSTA, J. R. (et al.).Uma das espécies nativas mais valiosas da floresta amazônica de terra firme é a castanha-do-brasil ou castanha-da-amazônia (Bertholletia excelsa),- Acta Amazônica vol. 39(4) 2009: 843 - 850
  5. ^Filho, João Carlos Meireles (2004).O livro de ouro da Amazônia: mitos e verdades sobre a região mais cobiçada do planeta(in Brazilian Portuguese). Ediouro.ISBN978-85-00-01357-7.RetrievedJuly 8,2023.
  6. ^"Negócios para Amazônia sustentável"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on October 19, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2023.- Ministério do Meio Ambiente. Rio de Janeiro, 2003. p. 50.
  7. ^Shepard, Glenn H.; Ramirez, Henri (March 2011). ""Made in Brazil": Human Dispersal of the Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa, Lecythidaceae) in Ancient Amazonia1 ".Economic Botany.65(1): 44–65.doi:10.1007/s12231-011-9151-6.S2CID43465637.
  8. ^Ferreira, A. B. H. (1986).Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa(2nd edition). Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira. p. 1729
  9. ^PROYECTO PARA DECLARACIÓN DE ALÉRGENOS y SUSTANCIAS QUE PRODUCEN REACCIONES ADVERSAS EN LOS RÓTULOS DE LOS ALIMENTOS, CUALQUIERA SEA SU ORIGEN, ENVASADOS EN AUSENCIA DEL CLIENTE, LISTOS PARA SER OFRECIDOS AL CONSUMIDOR (DEC. 117/006 DEL RBN)[Project for Declaration of Allergens and Substances that produce adverse reactions in food labels, whatever their origin, packaged in the absence of the client, ready to be offered to the consumer](PDF)(Report). Argentine government. n.d. p. 3.
  10. ^Lyons, A. B. (2015).Plant Names, Scientific and Popular(2nd ed.). Arkose Press. p. 71.ISBN978-1345211849.
  11. ^Young, W. J. (1911)."The Brazil Nut".Botanical Gazette.52(3): 226–231.doi:10.1086/330613.
  12. ^""Nigger", noun and adjective ".Oxford English Dictionary.2019.RetrievedNovember 29,2019.
  13. ^Essig, Laurie (July 12, 2016)."White Like Me, Nice Like Me".Psychology Today.RetrievedNovember 29,2019.
  14. ^Brunvand, J. H. (1972)."The Study of Contemporary Folklore: Jokes".Fabula.13(1): 1–19.doi:10.1515/fabl.1972.13.1.1.S2CID162318582.
  15. ^abHennessey, Tim (March 2, 2001)."The Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa) ".Archived fromthe originalon January 11, 2009.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
  16. ^Taitson, Bruno (January 18, 2007)."Harvesting nuts, improving lives in Brazil".World Wildlife Fund. Archived fromthe originalon May 23, 2008.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
  17. ^Nelson, B. W.; Absy, M. L.; Barbosa, E. M.; Prance, G. T. (January 1985)."Observations on flower visitors toBertholletia excelsaH. B. K. andCouratari tenuicarpaA. C. Sm. (Lecythidaceae) ".Acta Amazonica.15(1): 225–234.doi:10.1590/1809-43921985155234.S2CID87265447.RetrievedJune 6,2023.
  18. ^Moritz, A. (1984).Estudos biológicos da floração e da frutificação da castanha-do-Brasil (Bertholletia excelsaHBK)[Biological studies of flowering and fruiting of Brazil nuts (Bertholleira excelsaHKB)] (in Portuguese). Vol. 29. Archived fromthe originalon August 17, 2009.RetrievedApril 8,2008.
  19. ^Cavalcante, M. C.; Oliveira, F. F.; Maués, M. M.; Freitas, B. M. (October 27, 2017)."Pollination Requirements and the Foraging Behavior of Potential Pollinators of Cultivated Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsaBonpl.) Trees in Central Amazon Rainforest ".Psyche: A Journal of Entomology.2012:1–9.doi:10.1155/2012/978019.
  20. ^Ortiz, Enrique G."The Brazil Nut Tree: More than just nuts".Archivedfrom the original on February 16, 2008.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
  21. ^abcHaugaasen, Joanne M. Tuck; Haugaasen, Torbjørn; Peres, Carlos A.; Gribel, Rogerio; Wegge, Per (March 30, 2010)."Seed dispersal of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) by scatter-hoarding rodents in a central Amazonian forest ".Journal of Tropical Ecology.26(3): 251–262.doi:10.1017/s0266467410000027.S2CID84855812.
  22. ^Burkhardt, Lotte (2022).Eine Enzyklopädie zu eponymischen Pflanzennamen[Encyclopedia of eponymic plant names](pdf)(in German). Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin.doi:10.3372/epolist2022.ISBN978-3-946292-41-8.S2CID246307410.RetrievedJanuary 27,2022.
  23. ^Ideta MM, Oliveira LM, de Castro GL, Santos MA, Simões EL, Gonçalves DB, de Amorim RL (2021)."Traumatic brain injury caused by Brazil-nut fruit in the Amazon: A case series".Surgical Neurology International.12:399.doi:10.25259/SNI_279_2021.PMC8422441.PMID34513165.
  24. ^"Brazil nut production in 2020; Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity (pick lists)".UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT). 2020.RetrievedMay 17,2022.
  25. ^abcdEvans, Kate (November 7, 2013)."Harvesting both timber and Brazil nuts in Peru's Amazon forests: Can they coexist?".Forests News.Center for International Forestry Research.RetrievedMay 2,2019– via CIFOR.org.
  26. ^abcKivner, Mark (May 11, 2010)."Intensive harvests 'threaten Brazil nut tree future'".BBC News: Science and Environment.RetrievedMay 2,2019.
  27. ^Silvertown, J. (2004). "Sustainability in a nutshell".Trends in Ecology & Evolution.19(6): 276–278.doi:10.1016/j.tree.2004.03.022.PMID16701269.
  28. ^abc"Commission Decision of 4 July 2003 imposing special conditions on the import of Brazil nuts in shell originating in or consigned from Brazil".Official Journal of the European Union:33–38. July 5, 2003. 2003/493/EC.
  29. ^"Aflatoxins in food".European Food Safety Authority.March 1, 2007.
  30. ^"Research improves the control of Brazil nut contamination by mycotoxins".AGÊNCIA FAPESP.August 2, 2017.
  31. ^"Brazil Nuts".Oak Ridge Associated Universities. January 20, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on October 6, 2021.RetrievedDecember 17,2018.
  32. ^Adams, Rod (January 4, 2014)."BBC Bang Goes the Theory demonstrates that NOT all Brazil nuts are radioactive".Atomic Insights.RetrievedMay 18,2021.
  33. ^"Brazil Nuts".Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity.RetrievedOctober 6,2021.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^"Biomonitoring Summary".cdc.gov.September 3, 2021.RetrievedOctober 6,2021.
  35. ^United States Food and Drug Administration(2024)."Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels".FDA.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2024.RetrievedMarch 28,2024.
  36. ^National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.).Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium.The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US).ISBN978-0-309-48834-1.PMID30844154.Archivedfrom the original on May 9, 2024.RetrievedJune 21,2024.
  37. ^"Selenium".Office of Dietary Supplements, US National Institutes of Health. March 26, 2021.RetrievedJuly 25,2022.
  38. ^Chang, Jacqueline C.; Gutenmann, Walter H.; Reid, Charlotte M.; Lisk, Donald J. (1995)."Selenium content of Brazil nuts from two geographic locations in Brazil".Chemosphere.30(4): 801–802.Bibcode:1995Chmsp..30..801C.doi:10.1016/0045-6535(94)00409-N.PMID7889353.
  39. ^Garcia-Aloy, Mar; Hulshof, Paul J. M.; Estruel-Amades, Sheila; Osté, Maryse C. J.; Lankinen, Maria; Geleijnse, Johanna M.; de Goede, Janette; Ulaszewska, Marynka; Mattivi, Fulvio; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; Schwab, Ursula; Andres-Lacueva, Cristina (March 19, 2019)."Biomarkers of food intake for nuts and vegetable oils: an extensive literature search".Genes and Nutrition.14(1): 7.doi:10.1186/s12263-019-0628-8.PMC6423890.PMID30923582.
  40. ^abSouza, R. G. M.; Gomes, A. C.; Naves, M. M. V.; Mota, J. F. (April 16, 2015)."Nuts and legume seeds for cardiovascular risk reduction: scientific evidence and mechanisms of action".Nutrition Reviews.73(6): 335–347.doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuu008.PMID26011909.
  41. ^Kornsteiner-Krenn, Margit; Wagner, Karl-Heinz; Elmadfa, Ibrahim (2013). "Phytosterol content and fatty acid pattern of ten different nut types".International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research.83(5): 263–270.doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000168.PMID25305221.
  42. ^Ryan, E.; Galvin, K.; O'Connor, T. P.; Maguire, A. R.; O'Brien, N. M. (2006). "Fatty acid profile, tocopherol, squalene and phytosterol content of brazil, pecan, pine, pistachio and cashew nuts".International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.57(3–4): 219–228.doi:10.1080/09637480600768077.PMID17127473.S2CID22030871.
  43. ^abc"Bertholletia excelsa- Bonpl ".Plants for a Future.RetrievedJanuary 28,2023.
  44. ^"Greenpeace Activists Trapped by Loggers in Amazon".Greenpeace. October 18, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon December 22, 2010.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
  45. ^Moncrieff, Virginia M. (September 21, 2015)."A little logging may go a long way".Forest News.Center for International Forestry Research.RetrievedJuly 8,2020– via CIFOR.org.
  46. ^de Oliveira Wadt, Lucia Helena; de Souza, Joana Maria Leite."Árvore do Conhecimento – Castanha-do-Brasil"[Tree of Knowledge – Brazil nut].Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation(in Brazilian Portuguese).
  47. ^Lim, T. K. (2012).Edible Medicinal And Non Medicinal Plants: Volume 3, Fruits.Springer Science & Business Media.ISBN978-94-007-2534-8.
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