What was it all about?

Running from 2018 to late-2021, this project investigated the role of macadamia nuts in health and added to the scientific evidence base on the positive benefits of macadamia nuts in the diet.

The impact of daily consumption of macadamia nuts was measured in overweight and obese adults in four distinct areas:

1. Body weight and composition
2. Traditional and atherogenic plasma lipids and lipoproteins
3. The glycemic variables glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance
4. Inflammation and endothelial function.

The study assessed 35 participants both male and female aged 40 to 75 and found that adding macadamias to the diet of overweight/obese adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk, successfully lowered total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), although not significantly, without gains in body weight or body fat.

Consumption of macadamia nuts had no significant reductions in mean weight, waist circumference (WC), body fat mass or percent of body fat, and small but significant reductions in skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass, and total body water – of which were greater in obese versus overweight subjects.

In women only, the cholesterol lowering effect of macadamia nuts was greater among those who were overweight compared to obese

Findings from the project were presented at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting and subsequently published in three studies, as listed below.

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Read more about the findings of the study in the journal articles below:

• The Perceived Impact of Macadamia Nut Consumption on Feelings of Satisfaction and Bowel Function. Celine Heskey, Sujatha Rajaram, Abigail Clarke, Julie Jones, Rawiwan Sirirat, Joan Sabaté. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Jun; 4(Suppl 2): 1127. Published online 2020 May 29.
• Effect of Daily Macadamia Nut Consumption on Anthropometric Indices in Overweight and Obese Men and Women. Julie Jones, Sujatha Rajaram, Celine Heskey, Rawiwan Sirirat, Abigail Clarke, Keiji Oda, Joan Sabaté. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Jun; 4(Suppl 2): 589. Published online 2020 May 29 .
• Daily Macadamia Nut Intake and Its Effect on Macronutrient Intake and Nutrient Displacement in Overweight and Obese Adults. Abigail Clarke, Julie Jones, Rawiwan Sirirat, Kristie LeBeau, Celine Heskey, Keiji Oda, Sujatha Rajaram, Joan Sabaté. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Jun; 4(Suppl 2): 1622. Published online 2020 May 29.