Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence

Q: What is Macadamia used for?

Macadamia is most often taken for May modestly lower total and LDL cholesterol when substituted for saturated-fat foods, Very high in monounsaturated fat, like olive oil's fatty-acid profile, Lipid benefit appears greater in leaner / overweight (vs obese) individuals, Does not promote weight gain when eaten in place of other calories. High-MUFA tree nut with modest, mostly favorable lipid effects

Q: Does Macadamia work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Macadamias are one of the richest dietary sources of monounsaturated fat, giving them a fatty-acid profile resembling olive oil. Direct human evidence is limited and preliminary, resting on a few small controlled-feeding and crossover trials. A 2008 randomized controlled-feeding study in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults (Griel et al.) found a macadamia-rich diet significantly lowered total and LDL cholesterol versus a typical American diet. A larger 2023 crossover RCT in adults with abdominal obesity (Jones et al.) showed only small, non-significant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, with greater lowering in leaner participants and no weight gain despite the added calories. Macadamias are not separately studied for hard cardiovascular events, diabetes, or mortality; benefits are inferred from broader tree-nut research. Meta-analyses of tree nuts overall (Del Gobbo 2015) show consistent LDL lowering, and large cohort meta-analyses (Aune 2016) link nut intake to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Evidence for macadamias specifically remains modest.

Q: How many studies support Macadamia?

NutriDex cites 8 sources for Macadamia, graded "Preliminary".

Peh, Daryl

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Macadamia

Macadamia integrifolia

High-MUFA tree nut with modest, mostly favorable lipid effects

Preliminary evidence 🥜Nuts 🫀Heart & Metabolic ⏳Longevity

✚ Updated 7 Jun 2026 · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier

Preliminary

Research weight

Citations

8 verified / 8

Classification

Nuts

❝

What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 1 oz (28 g, ~11 kernels)

Sugars 1.3 g5%
Fibre 2.4 g9%
Other carbs 0.2 g1%
Protein 2.2 g8%
Fat 21.5 g78%

What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).

One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.

204 kcal2.2 g protein2.4 g fiber22 g fat

Nutrient	Per serving	% daily value
Fiber	2.4 g	9%
Protein	2.2 g	4%
Vitamin E	0.15 mg	1%
Magnesium	37 mg	9%
Copper	0.21 mg	23%
Manganese	1.2 mg	51%
Zinc	0.37 mg	3%
Selenium	1 µg	2%
Phosphorus	53 mg	4%
Potassium	104 mg	2%
Iron	1.1 mg	6%
Calcium	24 mg	2%
Folate	3.1 µg	1%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Macadamia?

Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) is a nut or seed used for may modestly lower total and ldl cholesterol when substituted for saturated-fat foods. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Macadamias are one of the richest dietary sources of monounsaturated fat, giving them a fatty-acid profile resembling olive oil. Direct human evidence is limited and preliminary, resting on a few small controlled-feeding and crossover trials. A 2008 randomized controlled-feeding study in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults (Griel et al.) found a macadamia-rich diet significantly lowered total and LDL cholesterol versus a typical American diet. A larger 2023 crossover RCT in adults with abdominal obesity (Jones et al.) showed only small, non-significant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, with greater lowering in leaner participants and no weight gain despite the added calories. Macadamias are not separately studied for hard cardiovascular events, diabetes, or mortality; benefits are inferred from broader tree-nut research. Meta-analyses of tree nuts overall (Del Gobbo 2015) show consistent LDL lowering, and large cohort meta-analyses (Aune 2016) link nut intake to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Evidence for macadamias specifically remains modest.

Purported Benefits

✓May modestly lower total and LDL cholesterol when substituted for saturated-fat foods

✓Very high in monounsaturated fat, like olive oil's fatty-acid profile

✓Lipid benefit appears greater in leaner / overweight (vs obese) individuals

✓Does not promote weight gain when eaten in place of other calories

✓Part of the broader tree-nut pattern linked to lower cardiovascular risk

✓Provides fiber, magnesium and vitamin E within a whole-food matrix

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose

About 1 oz (28-43 g) per day, a small handful (~10-15 kernels)

Active Compounds

Monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic and palmitoleic acid)Dietary fiberMagnesiumVitamin E (tocotrienols/tocopherols)PhytosterolsManganeseThiaminePolyphenols

Safety & Cautions

Tree nuts including macadamia can trigger IgE-mediated allergy and, in sensitized individuals, life-threatening anaphylaxis; people with tree-nut or peanut allergy should avoid them. Macadamias are very calorie-dense (~200 kcal per 28 g), so portions should replace other foods rather than add to total intake. Whole nuts are a choking hazard for young children. Macadamias are also notably toxic to dogs and should be kept away from pets. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Macadamia with any medicine.

Key Studies

meta-analysis Nishi 2021 ✓ Full text

Systematic review/meta-analysis of 6 cohorts and 86 RCTs (114 comparisons): nut-enriched diets did not raise body weight and were associated with significant decreases in body weight (-0.22 kg) and BMI (-0.16 kg/m2).

Meta-analysis Del Gobbo 2015 meta-analysis (61 controlled trials) ✓ PubMed

Tree nut intake dose-dependently lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides across 61 controlled intervention trials.

Meta-analysis Aune 2016 dose-response meta-analysis (prospective cohorts) ✓ PubMed

Higher nut consumption (~28 g/day) was associated with significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality across prospective cohort studies.

meta-analysis Aune 2016 ✓ Full text

Dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies (up to ~819,000 participants): higher nut intake (28 g/day) was associated with ~29% lower CHD, ~21% lower CVD mortality, and ~22% lower all-cause mortality.

RCT Jones 2023 randomised crossover trial ✓ PubMed

In adults with abdominal obesity, macadamia nuts (~15% of energy) produced small non-significant reductions in total (-2.1%) and LDL (-4%) cholesterol, with no weight gain; lipid lowering was greater in leaner participants.

RCT Jones 2023 ✓ Full text

8-week randomized crossover trial (n=35, abdominal obesity): macadamia (~15% energy) vs habitual diet produced non-significant reductions in total cholesterol (-2.1%, p=0.41) and LDL-C (-4.0%, p=0.32) with no gain in body weight or fat despite higher fat intake.

RCT Griel 2008 (Penn State controlled-feeding RCT) ✓ PubMed

A macadamia nut-rich diet (~42.5 g/day) significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol versus an average American diet in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women.

RCT Garg 2007 ✓ Source

4-week trial in 17 hypercholesterolemic men given 40-90 g/day macadamia (15% energy) favourably modulated biomarkers of oxidative stress, thrombosis and inflammation (CAD risk factors) despite increased dietary fat.

NutriDex

Macadamia

Nutrition per serving 1 oz (28 g, ~11 kernels)

What is Macadamia?

Purported Benefits

Dosing & Compounds

Safety & Cautions

Key Studies

Common questions about Macadamia

What is Macadamia used for?

Does Macadamia work — what does the evidence say?

What is the typical dose of Macadamia?

Is Macadamia safe? Any cautions or side effects?

How many studies support Macadamia?