Certain recipes may call for Brazil nuts, or maybe they are a favorite because of their rich earthy taste or nutritional value. If you can’t find them or simply don’t have any, what nut makes the best replacement?
What if you need to avoid Brazil and other tree nuts because of an allergy? (Tree nuts are one of the top nine dietary allergens.)
Let’s explore possible substitutes keeping in mind the creamy richness and earthy flavor of Brazil nuts, as well as their stellar nutrition.
Table of contents
Best Tree Nut Substitutes
Any tree nut can successfully pinch hit for Brazil nuts even though flavor and nutritional differences exist.
In culinary uses, any should have a fine nutty flavor. Mostly, they are chopped into smaller pieces anyway and then added to batters, as in muffins, cakes, and fudge, or sprinkled atop salads or savory dishes. In common nut recipes like pesto and nut butter, they are ground to a paste.
In terms of nutrition, all nuts have healthy fats, protein, magnesium, vitamin E and some B vitamins, as well as a plethora of minerals. A recent large cohort study that included nuts showed impressive preventive effects for heart disease.
- Macadamias have the best flavor and texture!
Creamy, sweet, and very high in fat, they are especially good in recipes that call for Brazil. Their flavor is buttery and milder. They work well in recipes for vegan cheese, granolas, nut mixes, cookies and brownies.
They are not a good source of selenium.
- Cashews: These nuts are not as high in fat, but the texture is very creamy although they are less earthy tasting. They are popular for vegan cheese and milk and make delicious nut butter. They can easily be used in pesto, trail mix, and granola.
They do contain a small amount of selenium.
They have lower calories, higher protein, and fewer fats than many nuts to go along with a big helping of iron and zinc.
- Walnuts: Because they have a similar flavor, they are an excellent substitute. Their nutrition quality is superb as they are loaded with plant-based omega-3s and very high in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats.
An ounce supplies more than enough vitamin K for the day.
- Almonds: Although they are not the best flavor match, these nuts provide exceptional nutrition in many areas. They are full of fiber, calcium, iron, plus vitamins E and K.
Another nutritional consideration for all nuts and seeds is that they provide phytochemicals and plant-based sterols that have benefits for heart health in particular.
Here’s a download that gives more details. It shows that pistachios are especially rich in phytosterols.
By the way, the flavor qualities of pistachios, pecans, and hazelnuts are significantly different than those of Brazil nuts. So, they are not good swaps.
Best Seed Substitutes for allergies to tree nuts
You can turn to seeds instead of Brazil nuts because they are similarly high in fats. However, they are botanically different. Nuts are seeds with a hard outer shell while seeds are basically plant embryos.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Creamy and earthy, but the dark green color can be a problem.
They are an excellent source of iron, and have higher protein, as well as many other beneficial minerals, especially magnesium and manganese.
In addition to having some calcium and selenium, they are a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Good culinary uses include muffins and quick breads, seed butter, pesto, granola, and trail mixes. Sprinkle them on top of salads, yogurt, ice cream, and puddings. This Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Butter is wonderful on toast, rice cakes, and oatmeal!
(It's also very satisfying when eaten off a spoon.)
2. Sunflower seeds: These little guys enhance baked goods, salads, and make a delicious spread. Of course, they’re rich in protein and an excellent source of magnesium.
An ounce of sunflower seeds meets or exceeds the daily intake for vitamins K and E.
Additionally, they are a good source of zinc, iron, and manganese.
Try these tender and healthy muffins made with sunflower seed butter!
3. Pine nuts: Their texture is creamy, which makes them a good stand-in for Brazil nuts, but not everyone with tree nut allergy can tolerate them.
Nutritionally, they are an excellent source of vitamin E and a good to excellent source of vitamin K.
In terms of mineral content, they are excellent sources of manganese and magnesium and good sources of iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
FAQ
In addition to their healthy and delicious fats, Brazil nuts boast an exceptionally high amount of the powerful antioxidant nutrient selenium. One Brazil nut will easily take care of the daily recommended intake, which is about 55 micrograms.
Selenium may play a beneficial role in fighting cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and thyroid disease.
➡️Cancer: Evidence is not conclusive, but it could be preventive, particularly for gastrointestinal and prostate cancers.
➡️Cardiovascular disease: It may reduce fatty build-up in blood vessels and lower inflammation.
➡️Cognitive: A large study that included selenium in a supplement found improvements in memory and recall. Other studies have not found selenium prevents Alzheimer’s disease.
➡️Thyroid: Selenium concentrations are high in this gland, and the nutrient helps convert inactive thyroid hormone to the active form. It might prevent antibodies from attacking the gland and creating conditions of hypothyroid.
➡️Fertility: It supports hormone balance, healthy sperm, and healthy pregnancy.
Yes! Daily intake may not be the best unless you’re only enjoying a single nut. Overdoing it could possibly lead to selenosis, a disease caused by habitually getting too much selenium.
Symptoms include:
🧄Garlic odor on breath
🤢Nausea and diarrhea
🔥Rash
😠Irritability
😝Bad taste in the mouth.
🧑🏽🦲Brittle nails and/or hair loss
Because of their triangular shape and thick shell, these are a hard nut to crack! You can freeze them for a few hours or boil them for a minute and shock them in ice water. After either treatment, apply a nut cracker for easy removal.
An excellent source has at least 20% of a person’s daily requirement.
A good source supplies 10% of the daily requirement.
Example: The daily requirement for vitamin C is 75 mg for a woman and 90 mg for a man. So, a good source would provide 7.5 mg for a woman and 9 mg for a man. An excellent source would supply double that amount for each.
Note: It’s fairly easy to get enough vitamin C if you eat oranges or drink orange juice or eat red bell peppers or baked potatoes!
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How to store nuts and seeds
The good fat and the ugly: All those unsaturated healthy fats in nuts and seeds can easily turn rancid. This is especially true of higher fat nuts, such as Brazil and macadamias. The oils will oxidize and develop an off taste if they are not kept stored in a cool place.
🥶Use the freezer for longer-term storage. Place them in zip freezer bags, silicone bags, or air-tight containers to keep them fresh for a year or even longer.
🆒They also do well in the cool environment of the fridge, where they should last at least six months.
They are also fine at room temperature for short periods of time, usually one to three months.
Just remember: Fattier nuts will go rancid more quickly.
👩🏽🍳Great Nut and Seed Recipes
Pesto is such a classic use of nuts or seeds. Whether you make traditional basil pesto with pine nuts or something a little different, like this healthy Almond Pesto from Chef Abbie Gellman, RDN.
Nut-crusted fish has a mouth-watering crust made from nuts or seeds. Here’s a recipe for thickish cod fillets coated with finely chopped walnuts and panko from California Walnuts.
Granola is a classic recipe where nuts and seeds add crunch and taste. Try my simple recipe for Granola with Chia Seeds or Maple Pecan Granola.
Salads that partner healthy nuts with healthy greens are fantastic! This Asian-inspired Cashew Crunch Salad from the Pinch of Yum folks completely fits the bill. The sesame dressing is simply the icing the cake, er salad.
Vegetables enhanced by nutty flavor helps you enjoy getting your five-a-day, that is five servings of veggies and fruits. Green beans with almonds is a classic, and I love this sheet pan riff from Healthy Seasonal Recipes.
What about party nuts? This recipe for Sweet and Salty Roasted Nuts from the folks at Eating Well features cashews, walnuts, almonds, and/or pecans for an irresistible nosh.
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