Use

Brazil nuts are eaten pure, salted or coated with chocolate they are a fine snack. Our organic Brazil nuts are suitable for pastries and are appreciated in the meatless kitchen. They are also becoming increasingly popular for refining vegetable dishes and for making nut creams.

Production

Brazil nut trees are fast-growing, they reach a height of over 55 m. The trunk with its cracked bark measures 3 m in diameter, sometimes even 5 m can be reached. These large trees can grow old for up to 500 years. The semi-evergreen tree shows rispy flower inflorescences that spring from a leaf axil or grow terminal on the branch. Pollination is carried out by large insects. The woody fruits develop from the ovaries during a growth period of more than one year.

The Brazil nut tree is one of the pot fruit tree plants. This says a lot about the Brazil nut: In the large fruit, which can reach a diameter of up to 16 cm and a weight of 1500 g, 10 – 25 seeds ripen. The seed core, the Brazil nut, is in its hard-shelled capsule. When the fruit is ripe, it falls to the ground as a whole.

The Agutis, a rodent species, contribute to the natural distribution. They are able to open the extremely hard shell. Any Brazil nuts not eaten by them are distributed. New seedlings emerge from this and the Brazil nut tree population in the rainforest rejuvenates naturally.

Origin

We obtain our organic Brazil nuts from sustainably managed projects in Bolivia and Peru. The unsaturated fats and the high content of essential minerals and vitamins speak in favor of Brazil nuts as a valuable natural food supplement. Above all, their above-average selenium content is worth mentioning. This trace element supports essential metabolic processes in the body. It contributes to a healthy immune system and to the protection of cells against premature aging. Selenium is considered important for skin and nails as well as for sperm formation. Good news for nut allergy sufferers: reactions to Brazil nuts are less common than with other nuts, but are not ruled out.

Sustainability

Brazil nut trees are rarely cultivated on plantations, their growth is usually purely natural. The rainforest population is therefore not affected by the harvests, provided that sufficient seeds are left on the ground for the growth of new trees. The longevity of the trees also contributes to a healthy ecological relationship, because clearing for new plants is hardly an option.

Harvest

The harvest lasts half a year for the entire rainy season. The large, heavy fruits are picked up and brought to collection points. Sometimes they are already broken up on the spot with machetes, the seeds are removed, collected in containers and then dried for several days. The Brazil nuts are mechanically removed from their hard shell in factories. In the past, the delicious kernels with their woody shells came to Europe, but now almost exclusively peeled Brazil nuts are on the market.

Flavor

Brazil nuts are extremely crunchy, have a savory taste and a creamy, smooth consistency. Enjoyed pure, their full aroma unfolds.

Yield

The yield of Brazil nuts fluctuates strongly, the world harvest of 100,000 tonnes is not constant. This has a major impact on exports. Bolivia currently exports around 25,000 tonnes of Brazil nuts, only a small proportion of which come from organic and sustainably managed projects.

Special feature

The segregation of different large and heavy components in one container is called the “Brazil nut effect”. This is due to the fact that the Brazil nuts, the largest nuts in a mixture, are usually on top.