**2. Nutritional composition of native Brazilian nuts**

**Table 1** shows the macronutrient composition of conventional and nonconventional nuts native to Brazil. Brazil nuts present the highest lipid content and energy value. On the other hand, cashew nuts have higher protein content followed by chichá, which has the highest content of carbohydrates and the lower content of lipids. The sapucaia nut presents the highest fiber content among all nuts showed in **Table 1**.

**Table 2** shows that the conventional and non-conventional nuts are rich in lipids considered beneficial to health, such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAS) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS). Pecan nut presents the highest content of the MUFA oleic acid (C18:1, ω9) followed by the cashew and pracaxi. Besides the nutritional benefits, another advantage of oleic acid is related to its higher oxidative stability compared to PUFAS. On the other hand, Brazil nuts show a high PUFA


#### **Table 1.**

*Composition of macronutrients of conventional and non-conventional nuts native from Brazil.*



#### **Table 2.**

*Lipid composition of conventional and non-conventional nuts.*

linoleic acid (C18:2, ω6) content (36-37%), which is an essential fatty acid. It also presents a balanced fatty acid composition containing significant concentrations of MUFAs and saturated fatty acids (SFAs). The main fatty acids present in Brazil nuts

**143**

**Table 3.**

*—: not presented.*

*Mineral composition of conventional and non-conventional nuts.*

*Valorization of Native Nuts from Brazil and Their Coproducts*

is oleic (C18:1, ω9), linoleic (C18:2, ω6), and palmitic (C16:0) acids. In addition, most of the nuts have a low concentration of saturated fatty acids. The exception is monguba, carrying 63% saturated fatty acid, with palmitic acid being the main

(1714.80 μg/g) followed by the pracaxi nuts (423 μg/g). The main tocopherols identified in the cashew nut were β-tocopherol > γ-tocopherol > α-tocopherol > δ-tocopherol. The chichá nut presents the highest content of phytosterols (257.7 mg/100 g), followed by the cashew nut (117 mg/100 g). β-sitosterol and brassicasterol were the main phytosterols found in these nuts. The bioactive

**Table 3** shows that Brazil and sapucaia nuts are a source of selenium. Considering the level of Se detected in Brazil (36.1 μg/g), and sapucaia (46.9 μg/g) nuts, a daily intake of more than one or two nuts can exceed the recommended daily dose of selenium for adults (55 μg/day) [18]. A selenium intake higher than 400 μg/ day has been associated with toxic effects, including selenosis, which symptoms are hair loss, skin damage, and nervous system disorders [12]. Sapucaia nuts are also rich in magnesium (1572 μg/g) and calcium (1168 μg/g). Chichá is rich in potassium (8718 μg/g) and presents the highest concentration of zinc (24.2 μg/100 g). On the

other hand, cashew is rich in potassium (K) and pecan in phosphorus (P).

**Cashew [26]**

Minerals play fundamental roles in several functions in the human body, acting as cofactors in enzymatic processes, structural elements, and participating in the regulation of acid–base balance, nerve impulse, and muscle activity [24]. The consumption of nuts as part of a balanced diet can contribute to a proper consumption of minerals, which play an important role in maintaining good health.

**Conventional Non-conventional**

**Chichá [8, 16]**

**Monguba [10, 17]**

**Pracaxi [28]**

**Sapucaia [18, 19]**

**Pecan [27]**

Al — — — 6.2 — — 1.7 Ca 7432.8 ± 10.2 35.8 ± 0.7 70.0 149.1 558.9 8.9 ± 0.2 1168.0 Cd — — — 0.4 — — 0.3 Cr 1.3 ± 0.2 — — 0.4 — — 0.5 Cu 59.4 ± 0.5 9.5 ± 0.2 — 7.5 7.5 — 16.9 Fe 74.3 ± 0.5 26.1 ± 0.5 2.5 218.2 4.4 1.7 ± 0.1 — K — 1443.3 ± 26.2 4.1 8718.0 — — — Mg 9678.5 ± 68.5 612.7 ± 13.2 121.0 1327.0 875.3 5.6 ± 0.2 1572.0 Mn 3.4 ± 0.4 7.6 ± 0.2 4.5 32.1 2.0 — 41.4 Na — 148.5 ± 2.6 — — 11.4 — 0.5 Ni — 0.6 ± 0.5 — 0.4 — — — P — — 277.0 — — 18.1 — Pb — — — 0.5 — — 0.5 Se 36.1 ± 0.4 0.2 ± 0.7 — — — — 46.9 Sn — — — 16.6 — — 11.1 Zn 110.3 ± 1.3 28.9 ± 1.2 4.5 24.2 9.9 — 20.9

composition of Brazilian nuts is presented in item 3 of this chapter.

Between the nuts shown in **Table 2**, cashew has the highest tocopherol content

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95056*

fatty acid.

**Mineral (**μ**g/g)**

**Brazil nuts [25]**

*Innovation in the Food Sector Through the Valorization of Food and Agro-Food By-Products*

**Fatty acids (%) Conventional Non-conventional**

**Pecan [4, 15]**

Miristic (C14:0) 0-0.1 — — — — — 0.1 Palmitic (C16:0) 14.9-16.7 10.3 5.4 26.5 60.9 1.4-1.5 12.9-15.2

Margaric (C17:0) — 0.1 — — — — 0-0.1 Stearic (C18:0) 9.9-11.9 9.8 1.4 4.0 1.8 2.5-2.7 7.7-8.4 Oleic (C18:1 cis 9) 28.5-36.3 60.6 71.8 37.8 7.7 53.2-53.5 39.7-44.4

Arachidic (C20:0) 0-0.2 0.7 — 0.7 — — —

Behenic (C22:0) — 0.1 — 0.3 — 16.4-16.5 — Lignoceric (C24:0) — — — — — 11.1-11.6 — ∑ Saturated 24.9-28.9 21.3 7.0 31.5 62.7 33.3-33.6 21.5-23.3 ∑Monounsaturated 28.5-36.8 61.1 71.8 40.4 14.2 54.1-54.3 40.1-45.7 ∑Polyunsaturated 36.1-37.7 17.2 21.0 12.2 — 12.2-12.3 32.7-40.4

α-Tocopherol 72.5 78.4 1.7 16.6 ND ND 11.2 β-Tocopherol — 1329.8 — 1.1 ND ND ND γ-Tocopherol 74.4 300.3 26.8 88.5 5.1 416.1 285.0 δ-Tocopherol 5.9 6.3 — 21.0 ND 7.8 2.8 Total 152.8 1714.8 28.7 127.0 5.1 423.9 299.0

Brassicasterol 1.5 101.4 — ND — — ND β-Sitosterol 39.5 7.8 — 184.9 — — 93.7 Campesterol 4.0 — — 18.6 — — 8.6 Stigmasterol 11.3 — — 54.2 — — 11.2 Sitostanol 39.5 8.6 — — — — —

Total 47-148 117.8 0.2-0.3 257.7 — — 113.5

6.7 — — — — — —

**Chichá [8]**

0-0.4 0.3 — 2.4 — — 0.2-0.3

36-37.5 17.0 20.2 11.2 6.6 12.1-12.2 32.2-40.0

0.1-0.2 0.2 0.8 0.3 — 0.1 0.3-0.4

0-0.1 0.2 — — — — 0.1

**Monguba [10]**

**Pracaxi [11, 23]**

**Sapucaia [18]**

**Cashew [21, 22]**

**Brazil nuts [12, 13, 20]**

Palmitoleic (C16:1

Linoleic (C18:2 cis

Linolenic (C18:3cis

Gondoic (C20:1 cis 11)

**Tocopherol (μg/g)**

**Phytosterols (mg/100 g)**

δ5-Avenasterol + δ7-stigmasterol

*—: not presented.*

*Lipid composition of conventional and non-conventional nuts.*

**Table 2.**

cis 9)

9,12)

9,12,15)

linoleic acid (C18:2, ω6) content (36-37%), which is an essential fatty acid. It also presents a balanced fatty acid composition containing significant concentrations of MUFAs and saturated fatty acids (SFAs). The main fatty acids present in Brazil nuts

**142**

is oleic (C18:1, ω9), linoleic (C18:2, ω6), and palmitic (C16:0) acids. In addition, most of the nuts have a low concentration of saturated fatty acids. The exception is monguba, carrying 63% saturated fatty acid, with palmitic acid being the main fatty acid.

Between the nuts shown in **Table 2**, cashew has the highest tocopherol content (1714.80 μg/g) followed by the pracaxi nuts (423 μg/g). The main tocopherols identified in the cashew nut were β-tocopherol > γ-tocopherol > α-tocopherol > δ-tocopherol. The chichá nut presents the highest content of phytosterols (257.7 mg/100 g), followed by the cashew nut (117 mg/100 g). β-sitosterol and brassicasterol were the main phytosterols found in these nuts. The bioactive composition of Brazilian nuts is presented in item 3 of this chapter.

**Table 3** shows that Brazil and sapucaia nuts are a source of selenium. Considering the level of Se detected in Brazil (36.1 μg/g), and sapucaia (46.9 μg/g) nuts, a daily intake of more than one or two nuts can exceed the recommended daily dose of selenium for adults (55 μg/day) [18]. A selenium intake higher than 400 μg/ day has been associated with toxic effects, including selenosis, which symptoms are hair loss, skin damage, and nervous system disorders [12]. Sapucaia nuts are also rich in magnesium (1572 μg/g) and calcium (1168 μg/g). Chichá is rich in potassium (8718 μg/g) and presents the highest concentration of zinc (24.2 μg/100 g). On the other hand, cashew is rich in potassium (K) and pecan in phosphorus (P).

Minerals play fundamental roles in several functions in the human body, acting as cofactors in enzymatic processes, structural elements, and participating in the regulation of acid–base balance, nerve impulse, and muscle activity [24]. The consumption of nuts as part of a balanced diet can contribute to a proper consumption of minerals, which play an important role in maintaining good health.


#### **Table 3.**

*Mineral composition of conventional and non-conventional nuts.*

On the other hand, an excessive consumption of Brazil and sapucaia nuts is not recommended due to the high levels of selenium.
