Macadamia nuts are indigenous to north eastern New South Wales and central and south eastern Queensland. The macadamia nuts are commercially important, and it has other names too, including bauple nut, Hawaii nut, bush nut, and Queensland nut. Macadamia nuts have a hard seed coat, that is enclosed within a green husk. As the nut matures though, it later splits open. While some seed coats are smooth, others are rougher and pebbled even.
Macadamia found its way to Hawaii in the late nineteenth century, mainly as an ornament and for reforestation. And later, it was brought to California around the mid-1900s. Just like coffee beans, macadamia needs a mild climate that is frost-free, but with plenty of rain.
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Nutritional facts about macadamia nuts
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Macadamia nuts are higher in fat content, and also contain more calories. However, these nuts contain a lot of impressive nutrients, among which, manganese stands out. 100g of macadamia nuts provides 740kcal of energy, along with:
- 8g of carbohydrates
- 6g of dietary fibers
- 5g of natural sugars
- 8g of fats
- 12g of saturated fats
- 59g of monounsaturated fats
- 5g of polyunsaturated fats
- 9g of proteins
- Vitamin B1 – 104% of daily value
- Vitamin B6 – 21% of daily value
- Vitamin B3 – 16% of daily value
- Vitamin B5 – 15% of daily value
- Vitamin B2 – 14% of daily value
- Vitamin E – 4% of daily value
- Folates – 3% of daily value
- Vitamin C – 1% of daily value
- Manganese – 195% of daily value
- Magnesium – 37% of daily value
- Iron – 28% of daily value
- Phosphorus – 27% of daily value
- Zinc – 14% of daily value
- Calcium – 9% of daily value
- Potassium – 8% of daily value
Health benefits of macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts are delicious, and are packed with nutrients that make them powerhouses. They contain vital minerals and vitamins like iron, manganese, folates, vitamin A, B vitamins, proteins, loads of healthy fats, and last but not least, antioxidants. These make macadamia nuts powerhouses of nutrients, that give you plenty of health benefits. Let’s take a look at all the health benefits of macadamia nuts:
1. It promotes heart health.
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There are high amounts of healthy fats in macadamia nuts, which help keep the arteries and blood vessels in good working order, which in turn boosts heart health. The healthy fats found in macadamia nuts are monounsaturated fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol levels, while also helping lower triglycerides. When there’s an overall reduction in body fat, the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced too.
2. It helps in weight loss.
Macadamia nuts contain a high amount of good fat content, which helps curb your appetite. In addition to this, macadamia contains palmitoleic acid, which has the ability to elevate fat metabolism. This, in turn, helps lower the fat storage in the body, thus aiding in weight loss. Also, more importantly, macadamia nuts contain an excellent balance of healthy fats and other nutrients, which help make you feel satisfied by consuming just a few of them.
Additionally, macadamia nuts also contain dietary fibers and complex carbohydrates that help you feel full for longer periods of time. They also contain insoluble cellulose, which are known to help with digestive problems, while also lowering nagging pangs of hunger.
3. It boosts nervous system and brain health.
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Macadamia nuts contain manganese, magnesium, copper, and vitamin B1 in abundance. These are all the nutrients that help make healthy neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are very important chemicals that your brain cells need in order to send signals to the brain. Oleic acid is found in macadamia nuts, which aid in brain health. These nuts also contain palmitoleic acid, which helps protect nerve cells in the brain, thus contributing to healthy brain function.
Macadamia nuts also contain omega-9, which is known to help boost your mood, your memory, and also keep neurological diseases at bay. Additionally, the omega-9 is known to enhance your memory, while also helping improve cognitive function.
4. It helps form muscles.
Macadamia nuts are rich in proteins, which help in the formation of muscles and connective tissues, while also being an essential component of your diet. Proteins are vital to maintain hair health, nail health, and skin health.
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5. It helps lower chronic inflammation and symptoms of arthritis.
Inflammation is the main culprit when it comes to diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. And excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids is known to cause and increase chronic inflammation in your body. However, macadamia nuts contain more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6 fatty acids, which make it ideal in reducing chronic inflammation, along with lowering the symptoms of arthritis.
6. It helps fight diseases.
Macadamia nuts contain flavonoids, which are known to help prevent cell damage by protecting them from hazardous environmental toxins. These flavonoids, when they’re in the body, get converted into antioxidants, which are very powerful, as you well know. Antioxidants help find all the free radicals in the body, and destroy them. These free radicals are responsible for aging, cell degeneration, and diseases, thus antioxidants help protect your body from disease.
7. It promotes digestive health.
Macadamia nuts contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, which help make you feel full for longer periods of time. Also, it helps remove toxins from your body, while also aiding in digestion. Since macadamia nuts are rich in copper, they also help with efficacious utilization of iron.
8. It helps delay skin aging.
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Macadamia nut oil contain high amounts of palmitoleic fatty acids, which have amazing benefits for your skin. Not only does this help delay cell and skin aging, it also helps replenish palmitoleic acid in your body. That’s why palmitoleic acid constitutes an important ingredient in many anti-aging products. Additionally, macadamia nuts contain antioxidants that help fight off free radicals and the damage they cause to skin cells, thus combating skin aging successfully.
9. It helps strengthen bones.
Macadamia nuts are rich in minerals like manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus, all three of which are known to be beneficial in bone and teeth mineralization, along with absorption and transportation of nutrients. Additionally, calcium is known to help in the formation of bones and teeth, while manganese aids in depositing new bone tissue where it’s needed, so the bones remain strong as you advance in age.
Kidney disease is known to affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium and manganese, which can lead to bone disease. However, the manganese found in macadamia nuts are helpful in keeping your bones strong, while also successfully fight off kidney disease.
10. It helps in the absorption of nutrients.
Macadamia nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for your health, since they increase the rate of absorption of nutrients. These monounsaturated fatty acids also help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the body too.
11. It helps prevent hair breakage.
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Macadamia nut oil helps keep your hair from breakage and the resulting damage. Not only does it help keep hair follicles and scalp healthy, it also improves hair strength and elasticity. In essence, macadamia nut oil helps reverse the damage done to your hair.
12. It boosts nail health.
Macadamia nut oil is known to help keep your cuticles and nails healthy, all thanks to the palmitoleic acid. Not only does it boost nail health, it also gives you strong nails.
13. It helps keep your body hydrated.
Macadamia nut oil contains omega-7, which helps provide palmitoleic acid to your body, thus keeping your skin and hair hydrated. It’s imperative to replenish moisture and water lost from your body through hot showers, beauty treatments, etc.,
Macadamia butter
Just like peanut butter or almond butter, you can make macadamia butter, which is an excellent alternative to the former two. This butter is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vital nutrients, and protein, while being low on trans-fats and cholesterol, both of which are bad for your health. Macadamia butter can be used on toast, sandwiches, snacks, casseroles, ice creams, jams, chocolates, crackers, and biscuits.
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Macadamia nut oil
Macadamia nut oil is used as an active ingredient in a variety of conditioners, shampoos, and heavy moisturizers. Additionally, this oil is healthier than canola oil and olive oil, making it a favorite among many chefs. Also, this nut oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, making it possible to cook at higher temperatures than other oils, without losing its flavor. It can be used to cook seafood, veggies, and meats. It is useful in making delicious salad dressings too.
Macadamia nuts – final thoughts
Although macadamia nuts are healthy and nutritious, be mindful of portion sizes you consume. Opt for nuts that are natural, and not coated with salt, oils, or other preservatives. Also, be mindful of any allergies regarding these nuts. Store these nuts in air-tight containers, in a cool place like a refrigerator or pantry. You can choose to consume these nuts either raw or lightly roasted.
This is all you need to know about the numerous health benefits of macadamia nuts. For more updates on healthy eating, fitness secrets, and home remedies, subscribe to our newsletter today!
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