[[Brazil nuts]] are high in selenium and an ounce (roughly half a dozen) provides 800 micrograms. That's about double the US recommended tolerable upper limit. Overindulging regularly could lead to selenium toxicity. Symptoms may include a metallic taste, garlic odor on the breath, hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, nausea, rash, diarrhea, runny nose, cough and nerve pain. Selenium-containing supplements are another potential source of this mineral.
==The benefits of Selenium are==
*This mineral helps the body manufacture [[glutathione]], an enzyme required for proper detoxification of the body. Because toxic build-up in the body is linked to cancer, assisting your body with its natural, ongoing detoxification processes helps lessen your risk of cancer. In research, low dietary levels of selenium have been correlated with higher cancer incidence. Supplementation with selenium is a valuable cancer prevention tool. Selenium disrupts the carcinogenic process early and helps prevent tumors from forming. It inhibits DNA mutations and functions as an antioxidant.*The mineral selenium is essential for the body's natural production of [[Coenzyme Q10]].<br>
== Natural sources of selenium ==