MACADAMIA (M. hildebrandii).

GENERALITIES
Family: M. hildebrandii.
Species: M. hildebrandii.
Origin: Northeast of India.
Principle Producers: Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Dominican Republic.

The Macadamia nut is a good source of protein and vitamins A1, B1, B2 and minerals such as calcium and potassium, moreover it has a low sodium content. Doctors often recommend eating Macadamia nuts as part of a healthy diet.
One of the products of the nut is its oil, according to studies in Japan this oil, of which a high proportion is in the form of monounsaturated fats (88%), may help lower cholesterol levels in the blood and reduce the incidence of heart disease. It is also rich in oleic acid which has a fat composition similar to that of olive oil.

The Macadamia nut is a delicacy, with a superb taste and high nutritional potency. Indeed it is considered to be the world's finest nut; it is used in the gourmet market as a special additive in many kinds of foods and cocktails. The nut is roasted, processed and packaged for the toasted, salted nuts market. It is also used in bakery and confectionery, in biscuits and covered in chocolate; in vegetable dishes; with rice and salads; as an appetizer; in pastries and in ice cream. Macadamia yields one of the healthiest oils, it is very much suited for use in salad dressings and for cooking, with the advantage of having a lower flash point than other vegetable oils, even surpassing many of the revered qualities of olive oil.

Because of the high content of the fatty, omega-7 palmitoleic acid (C16: 1), which has attributes that contribute to skin hydration, there is growing demand for Macadamia oil within the cosmetics industry, mainly for the manufacture of products such as skin moisturizers, soaps and massage oils.

Currently only two species of Macadamia have commercial importance: Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla, these are the only members of the genus to yield an edible nut. The other species possess nuts which are considered poisonous (e.g. Macadamia whelanii and Macadamia ternifolia) or inedible. The toxicity is due to the presence of glycosides however these compounds can be eliminated by processes which are practiced by certain aboriginal peoples in Australia.