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Evidence Based


10 HEALTH AND NUTRITION BENEFITS OF MACADAMIA NUTS


By Alina Petre, MS, RD (NL) — Updated on May 23, 2019

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Macadamia nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Their
benefits may include weight loss, improved gut health, and protection against
conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

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Macadamia nuts are tree nuts that have a subtle, butter-like flavor and creamy
texture.

Native to Australia, macadamia trees are now grown in various places around the
world, such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and New Zealand.

Like most other nuts, macadamia nuts are rich in nutrients and beneficial plant
compounds. They’re also linked to several benefits, including improved
digestion, heart health, weight management, and blood sugar control.

Here are 10 health and nutrition benefits of macadamia nuts.


1. RICH IN NUTRIENTS



Macadamia nuts are calorie-rich nuts that are high in healthy fats, vitamins,
and minerals. One ounce (28 grams) offers (1):

 * Calories: 204
 * Fat: 23 grams
 * Protein: 2 grams
 * Carbs: 4 grams
 * Sugar: 1 gram
 * Fiber: 3 grams
 * Manganese: 58% of the Daily
   Value (DV)
 * Thiamine: 22% of the DV
 * Copper: 11% of the DV
 * Magnesium: 9% of the DV
 * Iron: 6% of the DV
 * Vitamin B6: 5% of the DV

Macadamia nuts are also rich in monounsaturated fats, a type of fat that may
boost heart health by lowering your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels (2).

These nuts are low in carbs and sugar and have a moderate fiber content. This
combination makes them unlikely to spike your blood sugar levels, which may be
especially beneficial for people with diabetes (3).

> Summary Macadamia nuts are rich in vitamins,
> minerals, and fiber, yet low in carbs and sugar. What’s more, they boast
> healthy
> monounsaturated fats.

2. LOADED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS



Like most nuts, macadamia nuts are a great source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can
cause cellular damage and increase your risk of conditions like diabetes,
Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease (4, 5).

Additionally, macadamia nuts boast some of the highest flavonoid levels of all
tree nuts. This antioxidant fights inflammation and helps lower cholesterol (4).

Furthermore, this nut is rich in tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E with
antioxidant properties that may help lower cholesterol levels. These compounds
may even protect against cancer and brain diseases (6, 7, 8, 9).

> Summary Macadamia nuts are loaded with flavonoids and
> tocotrienols, antioxidants that safeguard your body against cellular damage
> and
> disease.


3. MAY BOOST HEART HEALTH



Macadamia nuts may lower your risk of heart disease.

Various studies suggest that eating 0.3–1.5 ounces (8–42 grams) of these nuts
daily can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by up to 10% (2, 10, 11,
12).

Interestingly, a small study in people with high cholesterol noted that a diet
rich in macadamia nuts reduced levels of this blood marker as much as a
heart-healthy, low-fat diet recommended by the American Heart Association (13).

What’s more, eating 1.5–3 ounces (42–84 grams) of macadamia nuts each day may
significantly reduce markers of inflammation, such as leukotriene B4.
Inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease (9).

Researchers believe the heart benefits of macadamia nuts may come from their
high monounsaturated fat content.

This fat is consistently linked to better heart health and a lower risk of
stroke and fatal heart attacks (10, 14).

> Summary Macadamia nuts are rich
> in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Eating small amounts each day may help
> reduce heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol and inflammation.

4. MAY REDUCE YOUR RISK OF METABOLIC SYNDROME



Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors, including high blood sugar and
cholesterol levels, that raise your risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2
diabetes (15).

Research shows that macadamia nuts may protect against both metabolic syndrome
and type 2 diabetes.

For instance, one recent review linked diets rich in tree nuts, including
macadamia nuts, to reductions in fasting blood sugar levels.

The diets included in this review had people eat 1–3 ounces (28–84 grams) of
tree nuts per day. They experienced significantly improved levels of hemoglobin
A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control (3).

Furthermore, diets rich in monounsaturated fats — which comprise 80% of the fat
in macadamia nuts — may help reduce risk factors for metabolic syndrome,
especially in people with type 2 diabetes (10, 16).

In general, nut intake is also linked to lower blood sugar and body weight in
people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes (17, 18, 19).

> Summary Regularly eating tree nuts, including
> macadamia nuts, may reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome and contribute to
> lower, more stable blood sugar levels.


5. MAY AID WEIGHT LOSS



Despite being rich in calories, macadamia nuts may help you lose weight.

This may be partly explained by their amounts of protein and fiber, two
nutrients known to reduce hunger and promote feelings of fullness (20, 21, 22).

Research further shows that a portion of the fats in nuts may remain in the
nut’s fibrous wall during digestion. Thus, macadamia and other nuts may provide
fewer calories than previously thought (23, 24, 25).

In one 3-week study, 71 young Japanese women ate bread daily with either 10
grams of macadamia nuts, coconut, or butter. Those in the macadamia group lost
0.9 pounds (0.4 kg) by the end of the study, while those in the other groups
remained at the same weight (10).

Macadamia nuts are also rich in monounsaturated fats, especially the omega-7 fat
palmitoleic acid, which may protect against unwanted weight gain.

In one 12-week study, obese mice fed high-fat diets with large amounts of
macadamia oil — rich in palmitoleic acid — had significantly smaller fat cells
than those given none of this product (26).

However, it’s unclear whether macadamia nuts offer the same benefits in humans.

> Summary Macadamia nuts may reduce hunger and promote
> feelings of fullness, which can benefit weight loss. They may also provide
> fewer calories than previously believed.

6. MAY IMPROVE GUT HEALTH



Macadamia nuts contain fiber, which can benefit your digestion and overall gut
health.

As is the case with most nuts, the soluble fiber in macadamia nuts can act as a
prebiotic, meaning that it helps feed your beneficial gut bacteria (27, 28).

In turn, these friendly bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such
as acetate, butyrate, and propionate, which can reduce inflammation and protect
against conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and
ulcerative colitis (29, 30, 31).

Some evidence suggests that SCFAs may even reduce your risk of diabetes and
obesity (32, 33, 34).

> Summary The soluble fiber in macadamia nuts aids your
> digestion by feeding your beneficial gut bacteria. In turn, this can improve
> your gut health.

7–9. OTHER POTENTIAL BENEFITS



Emerging research suggests that macadamia nuts may offer a few additional health
benefits, including (7, 8, 35, 36, 37):

 7. Providing anticancer properties. Macadamia nuts
    contain flavonoids and tocotrienols, plant compounds that test-tube
    studies indicate may help fight or kill cancer cells. However, more
    research is needed.
 8. Boosting brain health. Test-tube and
    animal research shows that tocotrienols may also protect brain cells from
    conditions like
    Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Still, human research is needed.
 9. Bumping up your
    longevity.
    Regular intake of nuts, including macadamia nuts, may help cut your risk
    of dying prematurely by around one-third.

Keep in mind that these potential attributes are far from proven. More human
studies are needed.

> Summary Regularly eating macadamia nuts may reduce
> your risk of dying prematurely and help protect against cancer and brain
> diseases. It’s important to note that more research is needed before strong
> conclusions can be made.



10. EASY TO ADD TO YOUR DIET



Macadamia nuts are found in most supermarkets but can also be ordered online.
They’re versatile and easy to incorporate into most diets.

In general, raw macadamia nuts are the healthiest form. Dry-roasted ones provide
a good alternative if you don’t have the time to roast them yourself, but try to
stay away from oil-roasted versions, which contain unnecessary added fats.

You can snack on whole macadamia nuts, grind and sprinkle them onto soups and
warm dishes, or swap them for croutons in salads.

Macadamia butter is another way to enjoy this nut. Like peanut butter, it can be
spread on bread, crackers, and fruit slices, or added to oatmeal or yogurt.

Finally, these nuts can be soaked and ground into a paste to make dairy-free
cheese or milk. This paste can also provide a base for various desserts.

Macadamia nuts can be stored at room temperature for one to five months, ideally
in an airtight container. Storing them in your refrigerator will keep them fresh
even longer — up to one year (38).

> Summary Macadamia nuts are a versatile addition to
> most diets. They can be eaten whole, ground, raw, roasted, or as a nut butter
> and make for an interesting addition to main courses, snacks, and desserts.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Macadamia nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy
fats.

Their potential benefits include weight loss, improved gut health, and
protection against diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease.

If you’re curious about this nut, try adding it to your diet today.


HOW WE REVIEWED THIS ARTICLE:

History

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our
articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

May 23, 2019

Written By

Alina Petre

Edited By

Mike Hoskins

Share this article


By Alina Petre, MS, RD (NL) — Updated on May 23, 2019






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