Q. What’s so special about macadamia nuts?

A. Apart from its unique taste and crunch, there is one key reason to enjoy macadamias - they offer the highest levels of monounsaturated fats of all nuts. The percentage of monounsaturated fats in macadamias is considerably higher than most other nuts popularly eaten in the UK including almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.
Monounsaturated fat, which is also found in olive oil, is one of the key ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. Traditional diets of Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece have been studied extensively due to the lower incidence of chronic diseases and higher life expectancy of people living there.

Q. Aren’t macadamia nuts fattening?

A. Eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, macadamias will not contribute to weight gain. Good fats are essential in a healthy diet. They make food tasty and give the feeling of being full, which stops people snacking unnecessarily. Providing macadamias are substituted and not in addition to other foods, there is evidence that they will either not contribute to weight gain or will reduce weight. USA studies of frequent tree nut eaters show that they usually weigh less than control patients.
For instance, a dietary trial at Harvard University compared a low fat, low calorie diet with a low calorie diet containing ample fat from nuts and olive oil. Over 12 months both groups lost an average of 4.5 kgs with the diet containing nuts more successful in keeping weight off after a further 6 months and the participants showed no change in blood pressure. The summary concluded that healthy fats can be part of a weight loss program as long as total calories are controlled.

Q. How many macadamia nuts would you recommend I eat a day?

A. Just a handful, or 10 to 12, of Macadamia nuts a day is all you need to gain all the valuable health benefits associated with the nut.
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