Macadamias are an underestimated nutrient powerhouse. A rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, and folate. They also have a little protein and pack a healthy dose of good fats and antioxidants.
Commonly featured in more indulgent desserts rather than thought of as an everyday health food, macadamias are often skipped for almonds and cashews for a daily snack. But these ten fascinating health benefits of macadamias will show you why they’re worthy of a regular spot in your healthy nut rotation:
1. Helps To Keep Your Heart Healthy!
These nuts are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which are said to be cardio-protective by reducing cholesterol levels and helping to clean the arteries. Macadamia also lowers triglyceride levels, a kind of body fat, and reduces the risk of coronary disease.
2. They Fight Free-Radical Damage Leading To Cancers
Another health benefit of macadamia comes from its high flavonoid content. Flavonoids, found naturally in these plants, help prevent cells from damage and protect them from environmental toxins. In addition, these flavonoids convert into antioxidants in our bodies. These antioxidants search and destroy free radicals and protect our bodies from various diseases and certain types of cancer, which include breast, cervical, lung, prostate, and stomach cancer.
3. They Curb Your Appetite!
The fat content of macadamias helps to curb your appetite much longer than a sweet treat. Macadamias are also a source of palmitoleic acid, which increases fat metabolism and reduces fat storage – bonus! You only need a few to feel satisfied as a snack, so despite their price, you won’t need many to get a hunger-busting, nutrient-rich fix.
4. They Strengthen Your Hair, Skin, And Nails
Macadamias are an excellent source of protein, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. They are also deficient in sodium. All these factors make them fabulous beauty food, giving your hair and nails a healthy sheen and your skin a nourished glow!
5. Supports Your Gut Health
That’s right, macadamias contain around 7% dietary fiber, and both the insoluble and soluble types, helping to not only promote satiety but provide roughage, sweeping toxins out of the body, and aiding digestion.
6. Strengthens Your Bones
Phosphorus and magnesium are abundant in macadamias and play various roles, including bone and teeth mineralization, metabolism, absorption, and transportation of nutrients. Calcium also helps in the formation of teeth and bones. Manganese in macadamias also helps the body to deposit new bone tissue so that the skeleton stays strong as you age.
7. They Look After Your Brain And Nervous System
Macadamias contain copper, B1, magnesium, and manganese, which help make healthy neurotransmitters, the chemicals our brain cells use to send chemical signals and nourish the brain. Copper also helps to ensure proper body growth, efficient utilization of iron, appropriate enzymatic reactions, and improved health of connective tissues, hair, and eyes!
8. They’re Lower In Inflammation-Causing Omega-6’s
Consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids in our diet can contribute to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been linked to various diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions. A handful of nuts daily or a spread of nut butter in your smoothie is a great way to get added protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But most nuts tend to be higher in omega-6 fats than omega-3s, which can tip our body into an inflammatory state if we don’t balance it out with omega-3s from other foods too. Macadamias, on the other hand, are much lower in omega-6s. For example, pecans contain 3.7g per 100g, almonds 3.4g, and cashews 2.2g compared to 0.36g macadamias.
The incidence of heart disease is significantly lower in people who eat nuts regularly (more than five times per week) than in those who eat nuts less than once a week. So why not include some of these healthy macadamias and start reaping their benefits today?