Macadamia Nuts

About

About Macadamia Nuts Macadamia nuts come from the fruit of a large evergreen tree native to eastern Australia. Thousands of years before European settlement, the aborigines of Australia gathered the native nuts from rain forest floors and consumed them as snacks. It wasn't until the early 1880s that the macadamia nut was first introduced to Hawaii, which today is one of the world's leading producers of macadamias. The nuts are often drenched in chocolate and sold as confectionery items or used in baked goods, like white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Their pleasant, mellow flavor also works well in savory dishes. Macadamias are beloved for their delicious buttery taste and immense health benefits. Health Benefits of Macadamia Nuts Increase Metabolism Macadamia nuts are one of the few food sources that contain palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that can improve fat metabolism. A 2011 study published in the journal Lipids in Health and Disease examined the effects of palmitoleic acid supplementation in diabetic mice. The researchers found that palmitoleic acid was beneficial for improving insulin sensitivity and reducing body weight increase. Heart-Healthy Nut Nearly eighty percent of the fat in macadamia nuts is monounsaturated, which has been associated with reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease. A 2008 study published in The Journal of Nutrition studied the effect of a macadamia-rich diet on individuals with high cholesterol levels. As part of a heart-healthy diet, macadamia nut consumption helped reduce total and LDL "bad" cholesterol levels in the patients studied. The Perfect Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio Compared to other nuts, macadamias contain the lowest omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (6:1) which is important because many Western diets are at risk of getting too much Omega-6 and too little Omega-3. Consuming foods with a healthy proportion of both essential fatty acids is important for reducing inflammation in our bodies. Powerful Antioxidants Maca