Barùkas – The Healthiest Nut You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

A few months ago, I noticed a new bag of nuts at the store:  Baru.   I love nuts, and I love variety, so I gave it a go.  I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was hands-down one of the most delicious nuts I’d ever had.  Super crunchy, with an essence of peanut flavor mixed with other nut flavors I couldn’t quite place.  But, as luck would have it, I never found them at the store again.  Like an ephemeral, nutty mirage.

A few weeks later, just as my memories of the Baru were fading, I listened to a podcast featuring Darin Olien.  At this point, you may have heard of Darin.  He’s known as the “Superfood Hunter,” because he’s travelled to remote areas of the globe to meet farmers first-hand, experience their culture, learn about sustainable practices, and search for the healthiest foods the regions have to offer.  He’s harnessed his knowledge to create the nutrient-dense Shakeology formulations used by Beachbody, and he’s most recently brought global awareness to the importance of sustainable living through his Netflix documentary miniseries with Zac Efron, Down to Earth. 

Well, as you may have guessed, one of the superfoods Darin spoke of during his podcast was the Baru nut.  Also known as Barùkas.  Baru nuts are found in an ecoregion in Brazil called Cerrado, and they come from the Baruzeiro tree.  And Darin isn’t alone in hailing the Baru nut as the healthiest nut on the planet.  Baru nuts are a complete protein (meaning they have ALL of the essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own), they have over three times more antioxidant density than other nuts, the highest fiber of any nut, are lower in fat calories than other nuts, and are loaded with micronutrients.  I knew they were delicious, but I had no idea I was dealing with a superfood.

Because Baru nuts have only recently become popular, there aren’t many studies on their specific health benefits that I’ve seen.  But we know that nuts as a whole are little powerhouse packages of healthy fat and protein, and consumption of nuts is associated with decreased cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as decreased cancer risk, increases in HDL (good) cholesterol, and reduction in all-cause mortality.  Check out this Harvard School of Public Health article highlighting studies demonstrating the myriad health benefits of nuts.  And since Baru nuts are like nuts on steroids, it seems reasonable to extrapolate that they offer a mega-dose of the health benefits generally found in nuts.

And it gets even better.  The Cerrado region has been under threat of deforestation to make room for big agriculture.  But with the growth of demand for Barùkas, Baruzeiro trees, and therefore the Cerrado region, are being protected, and the local population can make a sustainable living, because Barùkas are a sustainably grown nut, requiring only rain water.  So eating Barùkas isn’t just a benefit for your body—it’s a choice that will benefit one of the most biodiverse savannas on the planet and the people who live there.

If you’re interested (and you should be!), you can check out Barùkas at www.barukas.com.  They offer Barùkas plain or covered in dark chocolate (yes, please), Barùkas butter, and Barùkas trail mix made with the fruit of the Baruzeiro tree.  It’s all delish.  And you can even become a superfan and get a monthly subscription!

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I’m not sponsored by anyone, so I’m not promoting the Barukas for any reason other than I love to share healthy foods and products that I love and are part of a sustainably lived life.  I hope you grab a bag and love them too!

Go nuts!