Nuts have played a prominent role in the evolution of the human diet since the age-old times. An easy-to-munch nutrient-dense food, it has always been on every menu across the world. Among many options that have been bestowed by nature, one amazing variety that was discovered in 1848 by German botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, Macadamia is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering Proteaceae family where out of four, two of them yield the highest-valued and the most expensive nut in the world called the Macadamia nuts. Indigenous to Australia, Macadamia is also widely consumed in Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, the United States, and Japan. While at present Taiwan consumes more macadamia nuts and oil in the world, the demand for these nuts is on the rise in Asian countries. These crunchy delectable nuts go by many other names such as Queensland nuts, Bush nuts, Maroochi nuts, Hawaii nuts, and Bauple nuts. A high sweet and nutty flavor makes these nuts an ideal snack to go along with many hot beverages.
Also Read: 5 Nuts to Include In Your Daily Diet
The Macadamia Plant
An evergreen Macadamia tree grows about 35 feet high and interestingly, the first macadamia tree planted for cultivation still yields nuts because its productive period can exceed as much as 200 years! The tree is from the Proteaceae family of plants with elliptical leaves that are medium in size and the flowers are slender and about 12 inches long. Macadamia nuts are extremely hard to crack, in fact, the toughest in the world because they have a tough woody texture besides a pointed apex, and their pods contain one or a maximum of two seeds. The kernels of this plant consist of exotic nuts that are full of quality protein, dietary fibers, vitamins, and minerals.
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What Makes Macadamia Super Special?
Adored across the globe for their superb nutritional profile, taste, and culinary properties many things make these nuts unique. There is an array of benefits that can be derived from this little nut. They can be eaten raw, added to recipes, processed into edible oil, made into many kinds of flour, and used in many more ways. The hard-shelled nut is also considered a star ingredient in the cosmetic and skincare realm used in popular anti-aging creams.
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Macadamia nuts have a super dense nutritional profile with almost every health-befitting component, which makes them one of the most sought-after and super expensive nuts on earth. Here is what it offers when it comes to nutrition.
- It is rich in oleic acid and omega 9, making it extremely demanding in the international market
- Almost eighty percent of the fatty acids that macadamia has are monosaturated which makes it heart friendly
- It is also laden with beneficial phytonutrients, essential A and B Vitamins, and has manganese as well as folate
- Macadamias is an extremely rich source of iron, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin
- Macadamia nuts consist of minuscule amounts of copper, calcium, zinc phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium
- They are very high in antioxidants like polyphenols, amino acids, flavones, and selenium
- They are also good sources of carbohydrates like sucrose, fructose, glucose, and, maltose
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Health Benefits Of Macadamia
Let's look at the list of health and wellness incentives these nuts have in store:
Manages Diabetes
Macadamia has an array of macro and micronutrients besides many bioactive compounds that help to maintain blood sugar levels in the body. Despite their high content of fats, they are all monosaturated ones that help in diabetes management.
Keeps Heart Healthy
Macadamia contains seventy-five percent monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help fight the bad cholesterol from the body thus protecting heart health and keeping heart-related ailments such as heart attacks and cardiac anomalies at bay. It has been seen that macadamia nuts can dramatically improve lipid profiles, boost HDL maintain good cholesterol, and lower the levels of LDL also considered bad cholesterol.
Aids Gut Health
Consuming dietary fiber has always been beneficial for gut health. Macadamia nuts contain ample fiber, which helps to promote gut health. Like most nuts, the soluble fiber in these nuts can act as a prebiotic that helps feed your beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, a bacteria found in the human gut and certain foods. This bacterium produces essential short-chain fatty acids which help to reduce inflammation and protect against conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Relieves Inflammation
Consuming macadamia nut oil aid in treating inflammation. Macadamia nuts are a fabulous source of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid that can cure mild to chronic inflammation and prevent or delay many inflammatory disorders such as arthritis besides coronary heart diseases.
Boost Metabolism
Adding all kinds of tree nuts has been linked to lessening the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors such as high blood sugar and imbalanced cholesterol levels that raise your risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The monounsaturated fatty acids in macadamia nuts can help the body in fighting these illnesses.
Fights Oxidative Stress
One of the potential causes of diseases is oxidative stress, and macadamia nuts can help relieve such stress. Loaded with antioxidants, these nuts help to beat stress levels and fight depression. Antioxidants fight harmful free radicals which can lead to oxidative stress and thus cause an increased risk of many illnesses. This nut is rich in a compound called tocotrienols which is a type of Vitamin E that reduces severe stress.
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Magnetic Macadamia For Skin
When it comes to skin benefits, there is enough present in this tiny kernel, Macadamia nuts contain tocotrienols and squalene, two important compounds that prevent sunlight-induced stress on the skin. The essential fatty acids in macadamia nuts play a vital role in skin health. Macadamia nut oil and palmitoleic acid prevent dehydration of tissues and promote skin healing and regeneration. Applying this oil to your skin regularly provides radiance and makes skin smooth and supple. Despite being thick in density the oil gets absorbed by the skin quite easily. The application of this nut oil can replenish the skin with lost oils which diminish with age. Palmitoleic acid is wonderful to help delay skin aging, wrinkles, and age spots. Using it after a daily shower will keep your skin soft and moisturized. It can be used as a cuticle oil to treat damaged and dry cuticles. It can be applied to the hair and even works wonders as an effective conditioner. To get optimum results massage your hair and scalp with it.
Culinary Uses Of Macadamia Nuts
With a rich creamy coconut-like taste and a distinctive nutritional profile, Macadamia nut oil can be used to cook a wide variety of delicious foods. With a sweet and nutty flavor, it works amazingly as a salad dressing because and is a wonderful oil for frying and baking.
Sprinkle the oil to top your food items. It tastes great with everything from fruits to cheeseburgers or assorted vegetables.
Well, finally, we bring you two delicious easy, and fabulous recipes that can be made with these super-powerful nuts that will blow your mind in every sense.
Nut Kheer
Ingredients
4 cups of Macadamia nuts
1/2 cup of cashew nuts
5 cups of milk
400 gm of condensed milk
A few strands of saffron
5 cardamom pods
Sugar to taste
Method
Take a heavy bottom vessel and boil the milk.
Add all the nuts and about one-fourth cup of milk in a blender to blend.
Add this mix to the milk and allow to boil for five to seven minutes.
Add condensed milk and stir.
Add cardamom and saffron.
Allow it to simmer for another 2 minutes.
Allow it to cool.
Serve chilled.
Nutrition
This sumptuous dessert has macadamia that boasts many vitamins and minerals to keep the body and its immunity strong. The cashews and cardamom not just enhance the flavor but also are rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats that help promote weight loss, blood sugar control, and heart health.
Macadamia Ivy Gourd Chutney
Ingredients
8 Ivy gourds
5 macadamia nuts
3 dry red chilies
A handful of mint leaves
Salt to taste
For Saute
1 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp grated Ivy gourd
Method
In a pan, add Ivy gourd and all the ingredients except salt.
Add half a cup of water.
Cook until the ivy gourd gets cooked.
Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down.
Grind into a fine paste.
Add the salt and water while grinding.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and keep it aside.
Saute
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Add the mustard seeds.
Once it starts to splutter add urad dal.
Stir a little and add grated Ivy gourd.
Stir a bit and pour the tadka into the paste.
Macadamia chutney is ready to serve.
Nutrition
Besides being great and tangy in taste, this chutney has many health and digestive benefits. It has ivy gourd as a key ingredient which is very helpful to heal skin wounds by killing bacteria, reducing swelling, and rebuilding skin tissues. Urad dal has proteins that help to build healthy muscles.
