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This Week: Macadamias!

12/29/2025

As proud Australians, we have a soft spot for macadamias! This tasty nut originated in our east coast rainforests more than 60 million years ago. What’s more, Australia is a leading global producer of macadamias, and Australians consume more per capita than anywhere else in the world.

What makes macadamias unique?

Macadamias contain the most monounsaturated fat of all tree nuts. In fact, 81% of the total fat in macadamia nuts is the heart-healthy MUFA type.

They are a good source of manganese – a mineral needed for many of the body’s functions, including fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.

Macadamia nuts are a source of niacin, which is important for growth and for releasing energy from food.

A handful of macadamias (30g) contains around 2g dietary fibre – similar to the amount in a slice of wholemeal bread. And the soluble fibre in macadamias acts as a prebiotic, helping feed beneficial gut bacteria.

Macadamia oil contains high levels of palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 fatty acid known to have anti-inflammatory properties. And some research suggests palmitoleic acid may improve the body’s synthesis of elastin and collagen, which have a role in skin structure and function.

Macadamias are naturally low in sugar and sodium.

Macadamia nuts may lower your risk of heart disease. Various studies suggest that eating 0.3–1.5 ounces (8–42 grams) of these nuts daily can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by up to 10%.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors, including high blood sugar and cholesterol levels, that raise your risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Research shows that macadamia nuts may protect against both metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. For instance, one recent review linked diets rich in tree nuts, including macadamia nuts, to reductions in fasting blood sugar levels. The diets included in this review had people eat 1–3 ounces (28–84 grams) of tree nuts per day. They experienced significantly improved levels of haemoglobin A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control.

Furthermore, diets rich in monounsaturated fats (which comprise 80% of the fat in macadamia nuts) may help reduce risk factors for metabolic syndrome, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. In general, nut intake is also linked to lower blood sugar and body weight in people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes.

Emerging research suggests that macadamia nuts may offer a few additional health benefits, including:

Providing anticancer properties. Macadamia nuts
contain flavonoids and tocotrienols, plant compounds that test-tube studies indicate may help fight or kill cancer cells. However, more research is needed.

Boosting brain health. Test-tube and animal research shows that tocotrienols may also protect brain cells from conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Still, human research is needed.

Bumping up your longevity. Regular intake of nuts, including macadamia nuts, may help cut your risk of dying prematurely by around one-third.

Keep in mind that these potential attributes are far from proven. More human studies are needed.

Detriments:

High-Caloric Content: Macadamia nuts are calorie-dense, which may lead to weight gain if consumed in excess. This is concerning for people trying to lose weight.
Allergic Reactions: Although rare, some individuals may have an allergic reaction to macadamia nuts with symptoms like hives, swelling, or even breathing difficulties.
Digestive Issues: Overconsumption can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, including bloating or diarrhea due to their high fat and fibre content making it difficult to digest.
Interactions with Medications: The high-fat content in macadamia nuts may affect the absorption of certain medications. Consult a healthcare provider before adding them to your diet.

How to add to your diet:
Macadamia nuts are found in most supermarkets but can also be ordered online. They’re versatile and easy to incorporate into most diets. In general, raw macadamia nuts are the healthiest form. Dry-roasted ones provide a good alternative if you don’t have the time to roast them yourself, but try to stay away from oil-roasted versions, which contain unnecessary added fats. You can snack on whole macadamia nuts, grind and sprinkle them onto soups and warm dishes, or swap them for croutons in salads.

Macadamia butter is another way to enjoy this nut. Like peanut butter, it can be spread on bread, crackers, and fruit slices, or added to oatmeal or yogurt. Finally, these nuts can be soaked and ground into a paste to make dairy-free cheese or milk. This paste can also provide a base for various desserts.

Macadamia nuts can be stored at room temperature for one to five months, ideally in an airtight container. Storing them in your refrigerator will keep them fresh even longer, up to a year.

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This Week: Hazelnuts!

12/22/2025

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The hazelnut, also known as the filbert, is a type of nut that comes from the Corylus tree. It is mostly cultivated in Turkey, Italy, Spain and the United States. Hazelnuts have a sweet flavour and can be eaten raw, roasted or ground into a paste. Like other nuts, hazelnuts are rich in nutrients and have a high content of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.

What makes hazelnuts unique?

Compared to other nuts, hazelnuts are one of the highest in fibre, the highest in folate, and are the second highest in vitamin E, with a 30g serve providing 45% of the RDI for vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

They contain small amounts of plant omega-3 fatty acids, which have heart-health benefits.

They contain predominantly monounsaturated fats, important for heart health.

Hazelnuts are a source of monounsaturated fats and fibre and are naturally low in sugar and sodium.

They are a source of copper, magnesium, manganese, thiamine, niacin, and folate, and are a good source of vitamin E.

Hazelnuts have a great nutrient profile. Although they are high in calories, they are loaded with nutrients and healthy fats. Hazelnuts also contain decent amounts of vitamin B6, folate, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Additionally, they are a rich source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats and contain a good amount of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, such as oleic acid.

Furthermore, a one-ounce serving provides 2.7 grams of dietary fibre, which accounts for about 11% of the DV. Hazelnuts’ high concentration of antioxidant compounds, vitamins and minerals could give them some anti-cancer properties. Among other nuts like pecans and pistachios, hazelnuts have the highest concentration of a category of antioxidant known as proanthocyanidins. Some test-tube and animal studies have shown that proanthocyanidins may help prevent and treat some types of cancers. It is thought that they protect against oxidative stress.

Additionally, hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant that has exhibited possible protection against cell damage that could cause or promote cancer. Similarly, hazelnuts provide a whopping 87% the RDI for manganese in a one-ounce serving. Manganese has shown to help the functions of specific enzymes that could reduce oxidative damage and decrease the risk of cancer.

Hazelnuts have been linked to reduced inflammatory markers, thanks to their high concentrations of healthy fats. One study investigated how eating hazelnuts affected inflammatory markers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, in 21 people with high cholesterol levels. The participants experienced significant reductions in inflammation after four weeks of following a diet in which hazelnuts accounted for 18–20% of their total calorie intake. Moreover, eating 60 grams of hazelnuts every day for 12 weeks helped reduce inflammatory markers in overweight and obese people.

How to add hazelnuts to your diet:
Hazelnuts can be incorporated into the diet as a healthy snack or as an ingredient in many dishes. You can purchase and enjoy them raw, roasted, whole, sliced or ground. Interestingly enough, it seems that people prefer sliced and whole hazelnuts rather than ground ones.

While the highest concentration of antioxidants is in the skin, some recipes require you to remove the skin. This can be done by baking the kernels in the oven for about 10 minutes, which makes the skins easy to then peel. Peeled hazelnuts can be ground to make flour for baking or to make hazelnut butter, a nutritious spread. Moreover, hazelnuts can also be coated with chocolate or spices, like cinnamon or cayenne, for a sweet or spicy treat. They also make a great complement to cakes or topping for ice creams and other desserts.

Detriments:
Hazelnut seems to be safe for most people in food amounts. But some people are allergic to hazelnuts and have had serious allergic reactions including life-threatening breathing problems (anaphylaxis). Hazelnuts have also been associated with one reported outbreak of botulism from contaminated yogurt.

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This Week: Pecans!

12/15/2025

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Although they boast a long list of essential nutrients, pecans are also high in calories and fat, causing many to wonder whether they’re healthy. Pecans are a type of tree nut native to North America. Thanks to their rich and buttery flavour, they’re a common ingredient in appetizers, desserts, and main dishes alike.

Pecans are rich in several important nutrients. In particular, they’re a good source of fibre, along with copper, thiamine, and zinc.

Copper is an important mineral involved in many aspects of your health, including nerve cell function, immune health, and the production of red blood cells. Meanwhile, thiamine, or vitamin B1, is essential for converting carbohydrates into energy to help fuel your body. Zinc is another key mineral found in pecans, and it’s necessary for immune function, as well as cell growth, brain function, and wound healing.

Pecans are a great source of monounsaturated fatty acids, a type of fat that may benefit heart health. One study in 204 people with coronary artery disease, which is characterized by the narrowing of arteries, found that eating 1 ounce (30 grams) of pecans daily for 12 weeks improved the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood.

Pecans are brimming with nutrients that may benefit brain function, including mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acids, in particular, have been linked to decreased mental decline and reduced inflammation. In fact, a large study in over 15,000 women lasting over 40 years linked a higher consumption of nuts with improved long-term cognition.

What makes pecans unique?

Pecans are one of the few plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Plant omega-3 (known as alpha-linoleic acid, or ALA) plays an important role in heart health.

They also contain manganese – an important mineral for activating enzymes.

Pecans are rich in polyphenols, a diverse group of compounds that act as powerful antioxidants, protecting the body’s tissues from damage caused by oxidation.

They contain both mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, with a slightly higher proportion of monounsaturated fat – important for heart health.

Pecans are a source of monounsaturated fat and fibre, and are naturally low in sugar and sodium.

They are a source of magnesium, thiamine and vitamin E and are high in manganese.

Detriments:
Although pecans have been linked to several potential health benefits, there are some downsides to consider. First, those with an allergy to tree nuts should avoid them, along with other types of tree nuts like almonds, cashews, chestnuts, and walnuts.

Keep in mind that they’re also relatively high in calories, packing nearly 200 calories in each 1-ounce (28-gram) serving. As such, eating multiple servings can increase your daily calorie intake, which could contribute to weight gain if you don’t make other adjustments to your diet or level of physical activity. For this reason, moderate your intake, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Moreover, it’s best to opt for natural pecans without added sugar or salt.

How to add pecans to your diet
Pecans are loaded with essential nutrients and can be an excellent addition to a well-rounded, healthy diet. Be sure to pay attention to your portion sizes and stick to around 1 ounce (28 grams), or about 20 pecan halves, at a time.

Try sprinkling a handful of these tasty nuts onto your next yogurt parfait, salad, or oatmeal for extra crunch and nutrients. They also work well in trail mix or chopped up in baked goods like muffins, pancakes, or banana bread. Alternatively, enjoy raw pecans on their own for a quick, convenient, and nutritious on-the-go snack.

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This Week: Almonds!

12/8/2025

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Like all nuts, almonds are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals beneficial to health. Regularly eating nuts has been shown to contribute to heart health, reduce overall mortality and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, assist with weight management, reduce the risk of cancer, improve sperm quality, reduce depression and overall promote good health.

What makes almonds unique?

Almonds (along with pistachios) have the most protein of all tree nuts, providing 20g of plant protein per 100g – or 6g in a 30g handful.

Almonds are high in the amino acid arginine. Arginine is converted to nitric acid in the body which causes blood vessels to relax and remain elastic, preventing blood clotting.

Compared to other nuts, almonds are particularly high in vitamin E and calcium. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which helps maintain a healthy heart. Calcium forms the structure of bones and teeth and aids in blood clotting.

They contain predominantly monounsaturated fats, important for heart health.

Research suggests up to 26% of the kilojoules in almonds may not be absorbed. This is because some of the fat in almonds is held (or trapped) within the nut cell walls, making it hard for the body to digest and absorb – so instead, it’s excreted.

Almonds are rich in gut-loving fibre. They contain 11g fibre/100g, or 3.3g in a 30g handful – making their fibre content roughly on par with a cup of cooked broccoli or two bananas.

They are a source of copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and niacin, and they are high in riboflavin and vitamin E.

Almonds are naturally low in sugar and sodium.

Almonds are a fantastic source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect against oxidative stress, which can damage molecules in your cells and contribute to inflammation, aging, and diseases like cancer.

Vitamin E is a family of fat-soluble antioxidants. These antioxidants are found within the structure of cell membranes in your body, protecting your cells from oxidative damage. Almonds are among the world’s best sources of vitamin E. Just 1 oz provides 48% of the DV. Several studies have linked higher vitamin E intake with lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, more research is needed to fully confirm these benefits.

The magnesium in almonds may also help lower blood pressure levels. High blood pressure is one of the leading drivers of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. A deficiency in magnesium is strongly linked to high blood pressure. High levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in your blood (also known as “bad” cholesterol) are a well-known risk factor for heart disease. Your diet can have major effects on LDL levels. Some studies have suggested almonds may be effective in lowering LDL.

Almonds are high in protein and fibre. Both protein and fibre are known to increase feelings of fullness. This can help prevent you from overeating. One 4-week study in 137 participants showed that a daily 1.5-oz (43-g) serving of almonds significantly reduced hunger and the desire to eat. Numerous other studies support the hunger-fighting effects of nuts.

Detriments:
Eating a large quantity of almonds can trigger weight gain. The recommended serving of raw almonds is about 1 ounce, which is about 23 kernels. These nuts are high in calories and fat, providing 166 calories and 14 grams of fat per ounce. The extra fat and calories can add up quickly. The issue with fat is that it's a concentrated source of calories. One gram of fat contains 9 calories, while 1 gram of carbohydrate or protein contains only 4 calories. Even though the fat in almonds is primarily healthy fats, eating 3 ounces of almonds introduces 42 grams of fat into your diet.

One ounce of almonds contains 3.1 grams of fibre, an amount that contributes to the quantity you need each day (21 to 38 grams) to prevent diarrhea and constipation. However, eating too many almonds can actually cause diarrhea and abdominal bloating if your body is not used to processing large amounts of fibre. It’s better instead to slowly increase the amount of almonds you are eating if you experience GI problems with this food but want to include more nuts in your diet. If you consume a lot of almonds, drink water along with them to help your body handle the fibre intake.

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This Week: Cashews!

12/1/2025

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Cashews are native to South America, specifically Brazil. Colonists introduced them to Africa and India. They are a good source of nutrients such as copper, magnesium, and phosphorous and can make a healthy snack. Cashews are also part of many dairy alternatives, such as cashew milk, cashew-based cheeses, and cashew cream. Cashews contain substantial amounts of essential nutrients, particularly copper. They are also a source of protein, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

A 2023 review of previous research states that there is a “substantial amount of evidence” that eating nuts can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies have shown an association between higher nut intake and the following:

19% lower risk of CVD
24% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CAD)
15% lower risk of atrial fibrillation
19% lower risk of death overall

However, it is important to note that this review received funding from many companies that sell nut products. Additionally, the research focuses on various types of nuts. The studies focusing only on cashews have had more mixed results.

Cashews may have benefits for the joints. A 2022 animal study of degenerative joint disease found that rats who received cashews daily had lower rates of inflammation and pain-like behaviour. The authors suggest this could be due to the antioxidants they contain. However, larger trials in humans are necessary to confirm whether cashews have this effect on people with joint conditions such as arthritis.

What makes cashews unique?

Cashews contain the most iron and zinc of all tree nuts. A 30g serve has 1.5mg iron (around 19% of the RDI for women aged 51 years and older and men of all ages, and around 8% of the RDI for younger women) and 1.7mg zinc (around 12% of the RDI for men, and 21% for women). Iron is needed to transport oxygen throughout the body, and zinc plays an important role in wound healing and immunity.

Cashews provide 17g plant protein per 100g – or 5.1g in a 30g handful. This places them in the top three tree nuts for their protein content (behind almonds and pistachios).

Around 62% of the fat in cashew nuts is monounsaturated fat, important for heart health.

Among tree nuts, cashews are a top source of niacin, second only to almonds. Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) is needed to release energy from food. It also helps maintain skin health and supports the nervous and digestive systems.

Cashews also contain copper and magnesium, which have many roles in the body – including for nerve function, bone growth and glucose metabolism. Magnesium also supports immune function.

Cashews have a low glycaemic index (GI) of 25. A low GI dietary pattern can help to manage blood glucose and insulin levels, and may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Cashews are naturally low in sugar and sodium.

How to include cashews in the diet
People can eat roasted or unroasted cashews straight from the bag or container as a snack. They can also season them with:

salt and pepper
garlic or onion powder
spices such as chili, turmeric, cinnamon, or cumin
herbs such as dried chives, rosemary, or thyme

Alternatively, people can add cashews to other foods, such as:

trail mix, along with other nuts and dried fruit
stir-fries
curries
biryani
salads
meat dishes, such as cashew chicken or Sichuan pork

Some use cashews to make their own nut butter or dairy product alternatives, such as milks or cheeses, too. When buying cashews, check the label for ingredients. Some options have high amounts of salt or fat as part of their coating or seasoning. Others may be sweetened with added sugars.

Detriments:
Cashews are generally a safe addition to most people’s diets. Keep in mind that roasted or salted cashews can contain high levels of added oils or salt. For this reason, it may be best to opt for unsalted dry roasted or “raw” (unroasted) varieties instead.

Cashews are classified as tree nuts. Therefore, people allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts, may have a higher risk of also being allergic to cashews. It is also possible to be allergic to one tree nut. This means that you may have a cashew nut allergy but you are not allergic to other nuts.

Seek immediate medical help if signs of an allergic reaction develop.

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This Week: Macadamias!

This Week: Hazelnuts!

This Week: Pecans!

This Week: Almonds!

This Week: Cashews!

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