Let’s talk about nuts high in selenium. What are the best ones you should eat?
Generally, nuts are not very high in selenium. Well, with the exception of some. Mostly, you can get healthy fats, protein, and other vitamins and minerals from nuts.
But if you are more keen on increasing your selenium intake, then you need to look into some nuts that are particularly rich in this mineral.
Here we round up the best nuts high in selenium and how much of this mineral you can actually get per serving. Let’s dive right into it.
Best Nuts High In Selenium
If you are wondering – can vegans get enough selenium by eating nuts – the answer is a resounding yes.
There are some nuts that do have a good amount of selenium in them, and it is only a matter of knowing what these are to include them in your daily diet.
At a glance, these nuts that are high in selenium are Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, and walnuts, to name a few. There are also some seeds with selenium content such as sesame seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.
But today, we’ll focus more on nuts rich in selenium, which you should definitely add to your daily meals. Here they are:
1. Brazil Nuts
A single Brazil nut contains as much as 68 to 90 mcg of selenium. If you eat even just one nut a day, you can already get the RDA of 55 mcg. You need selenium for better immune health, metabolism, and reproductive health.
2. Cashews
If you like to have something healthy to munch on, then cashews are your best bet. An ounce of cashew has as much as 5.6 ug of selenium. This translates to 10 percent of the RDA for adults. About 28 grams contains 200 calories, so it is a filling snack that has other nutrients for your health.
3. Coconuts
Do you like shredded coconuts on your smoothie bowl? Or what about coconut flakes on your baked dessert? Not only do coconuts add healthy fats and a fascinating flavor to your dishes, but they also have a good amount of selenium in them. For instance, you can get up to 8.1ug in every cup or 80 grams of coconuts. That’s about 200 calories and 15 percent of your RDA.
4. Pistachio
Next up, we have pistachios. These green nuts are not only tasty but they are also nutritious. For instance, a cup of pistachios has about 12 ug selenium or 22 percent for adults. This is about 123 grams, which is a good serving size for snacking.
5. Walnut
Another one of the best nuts high in selenium is walnut. A cup or 117 grams of walnut has up to 5.7 ug of selenium, which translates to 10 percent RDA for adults. It is a great addition to your oatmeal, smoothie bowl, or baked goods.
6. Almonds
An amazing snack or great to make as a plant-based milk, almonds are also rich in selenium. A cup with 143 grams should give you 5.9ug of selenium, which is equivalent to 11 percent RDA for adults.
7. Hazelnut
Hazelnuts are great to munch on their own or as an addition to your baked goodies. You can also make hazelnut butter, which is fantastic as a spread for your toasts. Eating a cup of hazelnuts give you up to 9.3 ug of selenium. This is about 17 percent RDA for adults.
8. Pecan
And last but not least, we have pecans. With a cup of this healthy nut, it has up to 4.1ug of selenium, equivalent to 8 percent of the total RDA for adults.
Other Sources Of Selenium
In addition to the nuts mentioned above, some seeds also contain selenium. These include chia seeds, providing up to 16ug of selenium. Also, sesame seeds are decent sources of selenium, with 3.3ug per serving. And we have flaxseed, as well, which is surprisingly high in selenium at 43 ug, despite its very small size.
Be sure to eat these nuts and seeds at the right amount to keep your selenium levels in check. This way, you can achieve the normal level and reap all the amazing health benefits that this mineral offers.