Easy Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts
You’ll adore these chocolate Brazil nuts because have a rich and nutty flavor with a crunchy texture. They’re a healthy snack that still tastes like an indulgent treat. Whip these nuts up in just ten minute with only 4 ingredients, the perfect lazy keto snack!
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Brazil nuts have tons of health benefits, like they’re rich in selenium which is great for hashimoto’s disease. Brazil nuts are naturally low in carbs and high in fat. They’re keto, dairy free, vegan and gluten free. No matter what kind of diet you’re on you can enjoy these chocolate covered Brazil nuts!
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian Friendly
- Low Carb
- Keto Friendly
- Soy Free
- Paleo Friendly
- Easy to Make
- Only 4 Ingredients
- Kid Approved
- Brazil Nuts
- Dark Chocolate Chips
- Shredded Coconut
- Agave (optional)
- Over a double boiler melt the dark chocolate. (Fill a small pot with one inch of water. Place medium sized heat safe bowl over the pot. Pour the chocolate chips inside the bowl and use an offset spatula to move the chocolate as it melts.
- Once the chocolate is fully melted remove it from the heat. Pour the nuts into the chocolate and mix them until the nuts are fully coated in the chocolate.
- Remove the nuts from the bowl and add place them on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Sprinkle the nuts with the coconut flakes. Place the nuts in the fridge to firm up for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that there are tons of ingredient substitutions that work. So if you don’t have all of the ingredients on the list, don’t sweat it! Here are some of the best substitutions you can use.
- Brazil Nuts: If you don’t have Brazil nuts on hand you can use macadamia nuts or cashews. Both nuts have a mild flavor and pair well with dark chocolate.
- Agave: If you don’t have agave you can use maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or powdered sugar instead. If you are on a keto diet you can leave out the sugar entirely.
- Chocolate Chips: If you don’t have chocolate chips you can melt down any bar of dark chocolate you have on hand. Just chop up the chocolate with a knife so that it’s easier to melt down.
There are tons of health benefits associated with eating Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are known to help raise good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol. It’s good for your heart, thyroid and brain!
The most notable health benefit of eating Brazil nuts is that they’re high in selenium. In fact, Brazil nuts have the highest concentration of selenium of any nut out there! One Brazil nut has 96-400 mcg of selenium! That’s 175% of the daily recommended intake.
Selenium is a big topic for people with thyroid disorders like Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s.
Thyroid tissue is rich in the mineral selenium. Selenium is required for the production of T3 a hormone that is produced by the thyroid. T3 plays an important roll in regulating metabolism and cellular activity.
So someone with a hypothyroid (under active thyroid) may have a deficiency in selenium resulting in lower T3 production. Lower T3 production can lead to weight gain and trouble loosing weight.
Eating Brazil nuts can help replace missing selenium to help boost thyroid function.
Whether or not chocolate Brazil nuts are keto friendly depends on which type of chocolate is used to make them. If the chocolate is dark without added sugar the chocolate covered Brazil nuts will be keto friendly.
This recipe is keto friendly because I used keto dark chocolate chips. They are sweetened with monk fruit sugar instead of regular sugar.
The key to making keto friendly chocolate covered Brazil nut is to use a clean sugar free. chocolate chip. My favorite sugar free chocolate chips are made by Lakanto. I love Lakanto products because they use monk fruit crystals instead of stevia or aspartame.
While eating Brazil nuts can be helpful for people with an under active thyroid who have diseases like Graves’ disease. On the other hand for someone with Hashimoto’s disease eating Brazil nuts is counter productive.
Elevated level’s of T3 is one symptom of Hashimoto’s. Since selenium is needed to turn T4 into T3, eating more of it may trigger an over production of T3.
It’s also hard to measure exactly how much selenium is in Brazil nuts. The amount varies from 96 to 400 mcg in just 1 Brazil nut. You are better off taking a selenium supplant with an exact amount of selenium printed on the bottle. That way you can keep track of how much selenium you are consuming.
Additionally, supplementing selenium isn’t important for most people. Selenium deficiencies are rare.
Yes, you can actually eat too many Brazil nuts! Since Brazil nuts are high in selenium. If you consume more than 800ug of selenium you can experience toxicity.
Symptoms of selenium toxicity may lead to hospitalization. Symptoms induce: “hair loss, nail discoloration or brittleness, or 2 or more of the following symptoms: muscle or joint pains, headache, foul breath, fatigue/weakness, gastrointestinal symptoms, or cutaneous eruption.” According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.
If you have Hashimoto’s you shouldn’t eat any Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are high in selenium which can trigger an elevated conversion of T4 to T3. Too much T3 is one of the symptoms associated with Hashimoto’s disease.
On the other hand a few studies have shown that supplementing selenium can help
With all of this conflicting information I have to conclude that selenium is not good for people with Hashimoto’s and a weak immune system but that selenium is beneficial for those with a good immune system.
If you don’t have Hashimoto’s disease eating 2 Brazil nuts per day should be fine. You likely will not get selenium toxicity from eating only a couple of Brazil nuts.
If you have Hashimoto’s disease and you don’t eat natural sources of selenium you can supplement the daily recommended intake of 55 mcg of selenium daily. Confirm with your doctor before starting any selenium supplement regime.
Yes, Brazil nuts are high in selenium and since the thyroid tissue is composed of selenium supplementing selenium responsibly can support thyroid function.
These homemade chocolate brazil nuts are gluten free. Brazil nuts are naturally gluten free along with agave and coconut flakes.
Most dark chocolate is gluten free but you just need to check the ingredient list of the dark chocolate chips you use. Most brands of dark chocolate chips are gluten free.
But here is a list of common additives to check for that contain gluten.
Brazil nuts themselves are naturally gluten-free. However, the chocolate used to coat the nuts may contain gluten if it includes ingredients like barley malt, wheat, or rye.
Cross-contamination during processing can also occur if the chocolate is produced in facilities that handle gluten-containing products.
To determine whether a particular brand or product of chocolate-covered Brazil nuts is gluten-free, it’s essential to read the product label or contact the manufacturer directly.
Many manufacturers label their products as gluten-free if they meet specific standards and follow strict procedures to prevent cross-contamination.
Yes if you are vegan you can enjoy these chocolate brazil nuts! Dark chocolate is vegan because it doesn’t have dairy in it. And nuts are also vegan naturally.
Moderate amounts of chocolate covered Brazil nuts can be healthy. Brazil nuts are naturally healthy and so is dark chocolate. Of course eating too many chocolate covered Brazil nuts can contribute to consuming too much sugar. It’s best to enjoy chocolate Brazil nuts in moderate amounts.
This easy recipe for chocolate covered brazil nuts is made even easier by having the right equipment. Before you start making your nuts gather the following pieces of equipment. These are common items that are found in every kitchen!
- Off-set Spatula
- Small Sauce Pot
- Heat Safe Medium Mixing Bowl
- Parchment Pape r
- Spoon
- Measuring Cup
If you don’t have parchment paper you can put the nuts right on the plate but keep in mind that they will get the plate dirty. You can use plastic wrap or tinfoil to line the baking sheet instead to cut down on cleaning.
How to Store Chocolate Brazil Nuts in the Refrigerator: While it’s not necessary to refrigerate chocolate Brazil nuts, you can choose to do so if your room temperature is consistently warm. If refrigerating, ensure the nuts are in an airtight container or bag to prevent any moisture from affecting the quality of the chocolate.
Yes you can freeze chocolate covered brazil nuts for up to 6 months. To thaw them out place them in the fridge for one day. You can also leave them on the counter as long as the room is below 70 degrees. Any hotter and the chocolate can start to melt.
Store bought chocolate brazil nuts last for up to 9 months. You can safely store these chocolate brazil nuts for three weeks in the fridge.
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Easy Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts
Recipe details
- 8 servings
- Prep time: 2 minutes Minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Minutes Total time: 12 min
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