Macadamia nuts are somewhat of a modern delicacy and the most expensive nuts in the world.¹ 

Today, you’re most likely to enjoy macadamia nuts baked into cookies with white chocolate; a flavour that complements this sweet kernel particularly well.

However, macadamia nuts’ health benefits are so profound that you shouldn’t just enjoy them with the sweet stuff.

Macadamia nuts are brimming with healthy fats and vitamins, which will support you achieving any wellness goals.

What are macadamia nuts?

Macadamia nuts are native to Australia. The sub-tropical rainforests made the perfect climate for these creamy nuts to grow. They were initially a staple of Australia’s Aboriginal people’s diet, who knew them as Bauple nuts.²

First, Macadamia nuts were exported outside Australia to Hawaii, which became the world’s largest producer.³ This honour now belongs to South Africa.

Benefits of macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are associated with a wide array of benefits for health and wellness, including:

• Improved heart health

Scientific studies have found that the antioxidants within macadamia nuts reduce oxidative stress throughout the arteries and lower cholesterol.⁴

• More consistent blood sugar

Frequent blood sugar spikes are associated with many adverse health outcomes, as they increase your risk of developing various illnesses.⁵ 

Happily, the low carb and sugar content, in conjunction with a moderate amount of fibre found within macadamia nuts mean they typically don’t cause blood sugar spikes.⁶

• Good gut health

Macadamia nuts are rich in soluble fibre, which acts as a prebiotic in the gut, encouraging good bacteria to blossom there.^7,8 Scientific research has established links over the past decade between healthy bacteria and good overall health– a win-win!⁹

Macadamia nuts nutrition profile

One 28g portion of macadamia nuts contains¹⁰:

How to include more macadamia nuts in your diet

Get a well-paid job! Sadly, we’re only semi-joking, as macadamia are the world’s most expensive nut, costing, on average, £18.40 for a 450g bag.¹¹

However, we’d advise splurging on every once in a while, to enjoy the macadamia nuts great health benefits.

Enjoy macadamia nuts in:

• Bakes – they go particularly well with white chocolate
• On top of salads
• Sprinkled on soups
• Served with roast veggies

Risks from macadamia nuts

Those allergic to any tree nuts should avoid macadamia nuts. Usually, they are allergic to all varieties of tree nut when they respond to one.¹²

Last updated: 2 March 2021