The oils in macadamia are: 84% monounsaturated, and 3.5% polyunsaturated.12.5% saturated. The monounsaturated portion contains oleic fatty acid plus the highest known level of paimitoleic fatty acid, which is also present in beneficial fish oils, and may be nutritionally significant.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are the ‘good’ fats.

They have been shown in macadamias to significantly reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, as well as enhancing the protective high-density lipoproteins and suppressing undesirable low-density lipoproteins.

The macadamia nut contains the highest level of monounsaturated fatty acids of any natural commercial food.

Macadamias contain no cholesterol. Macadamias contain no trans fatty acids. Macadamias improve the balance between omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. This facilitates the body’s manufacture of essential fatty acids and eicosanoids (prostaglandins etc).

Macadamias contain significant protein comprising essential and non-essential amino acids. These play an important body building role in muscle structure, connective tissues and blood plasma development. Macadamias contain all the essential amino acids with most of these present at optimum levels.

Most of the ‘simple’ carbohydrates are present as saccharides (sugars). Macadamias contain the sugars, sucrose, fructose, glucose and maltose, plus some starch-based material. Carbohydrates supply energy to the body. Complex carbohydrates are described as dietary fibre.

Dietary fibre is the term for carbohydrates that are resistant to enzyme digestion in the stomach. They consist of complex soluble carbohydrates and soluble fibres such as lignans, hemicellulose, amyiopectins, mucilage, gums and insoluble cellulose. Essentially dietary fibre in macadamias are the cell walls within the kernel. Dietary fibre promotes satiety, provides roughage, slows digestion and reduces hunger, promotes desirable intestinal bacteria, reduces constipation.

Macadamias contain a large range of minerals. They are rich in: Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Calcium. They also contain significant levels of Zinc, Copper, Selenium. The most significant vitamins are: 6 Vitamin E Thiamine (B1) Riboflavin (B2) Niacin, pantothenic acid (B5) and folate.

These are biologically active components which protect our body systems. Many act as antioxidants, which scavenge the free radicals that oxidize blood fats. They operate as part of complex systems that are only partly understood. Macadamias contain tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are derivatives of Vitamin E, phytosterols such as sitosterol and also selenium. A current research project has shown strong antioxidant activity with the compounds now being identified. It is probable that macadamias contain the phytonutrients classes, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phytic acids, ellargic acid, saponins and lignans.