Macadamia Nuts

History

The macadamia nut tree is a perennial plant belonging to the Proteaceae family. It is native to the south-east Pacific and includes more than 10 species, although classification has not been completed yet.

All species classified until now are native to eastern Australia except for Macadamia hildebrandii, which is native to Indonesia (Sulawesi). It is said that, long before European explorers discovered Australia, the indigenous peoples of the eastern coasts ate the delicious seed of an evergreen plant called "Kindal Kindal" during their banquets.

During the mid-nineteenth century the majestic beauty of this plant, native to the tropical forest of Queensland, also attracted the attention of European botanists. Until then unknown to Europeans, the macadamia nut was discovered and classified between 1828 and 1860, although uncertainty about the correct taxonomy continued until 1956. The current theory is that the first European to have come into contact with the macadamia nut was Allan Cunningham in 1828.

The name of the genus Macadamia is a tribute to the famous Australian scientist John McAdam, a colleague of the British botanist Ferdinand von Mueller who was the first, along with Walter Hill (director of the Brisbane Botanical Garden), to describe this plant. It is to them that we owe the classification of the two most widespread species of macadamia: Macadamia integrifolia, with its smooth shell, and macadamia tetraphilla with a rough shell.

Although the first attempts at growing macadamia nuts in Australia go back to 1880, its shell's exceptional toughness created many problems and significantly delayed the introduction of automation into the processing of this fruit. It took until the middle of the twentieth-century before commercial cultivation became widespread in Australia in the territories of New South Wales and Queensland.

The macadamia nut is the only grown food crop native to Australia to be successfully exported to other parts of the world, although the credit for selecting the varieties most suitable for cultivation goes to the Americans. Indeed, in the early twentieth century it was a group of American growers who introduced this plant to Hawaii, where existing varieties were isolated, and successfully developed this business. Outside Australia, commercial production takes place in Hawaii (which is the largest producer after Australia), Brazil, California, Israel, Kenya, Bolivia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Malawi. 

Source: 

Nutspaper "La macadamia" 2/2008 

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macadamia_integrifolia 

The advice provided SHOULD IN NO WAY BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE OR PRESCRIPTION. The information provided shall be considered for informative and educational purposes only, it is not intended to replace medical advice. In case of a medical condition, always consult your doctor. 

Properties

According to our analyses, 100 g of macadamia nuts contain:

• Iron (2.1 mg – 15% NRV)
• Vitamin B6 (0.22 mg – 16% NRV)
• Thiamine (0.18 mg – 16% NRV)
• Potassium (343 mg – 17% NRV)
• Phosphorus (162 mg – 23% NRV)
• Magnesium (109 mg – 29% NRV)
• Copper (0.49 mg – 49% NRV)
• Selenium (35 µg - 64% NRV)
• Manganese (19 mg – 950% NRV)
• Fibre (7.9 g)
• Unsaturated fatty acids (63 g), monounsaturated (62 g) and oleic acid (46 g).

Please note that macadamia nuts are included in the list of allergens (Annex 2 Reg. No. 1169/2011 and as amended and extended.)

Dose recommendations

Each pack of 500 g of macadamia nuts contains about 17 portions of 30 g that provide: 

• 280% of the Nutrient Reference Value of Manganese; 
• 19% of the Nutrient Reference Value of Selenium; 
• 15% of the Nutrient Reference Value of Copper. 

 
Individual needs will vary according to age, gender, weight and physical activity. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are the basis of your well-being. 

Affordable price

Affordable price means to us offering our clients natural macadamia nuts with no added salt that everybody can enjoy. 
We want, on the one hand, to place the proper value on raw materials in order to obtain a quality product by paying our farmers a fair price; on the other hand, we want to fulfil your needs when it comes to pricing. 

We establish fair long-term relationships with our producers to avoid race-to-the-bottom pricing and that are based on trust as part of our efforts to offer you the finest and most natural product. 

Not only that: by choosing large packs of macadamia nuts you are also contributing to the reduction in the use of plastic. 

How much does 1 kg of macadamia nuts cost?

The price per kg for macadamia nuts depends on the macadamia nuts' quality, variety and origin. On Nuturally, we have selected the best macadamia nuts with respect for our supply chain, farmers, and raw materials.

Storage

You can store macadamia nuts in cool, dry places away from heat and moisture. Here are 4 useful tips: 

• The best way to store macadamia nuts is in a refrigerated environment. Nuturally macadamia nuts can also be stored at room temperature during the winter season due to low temperatures. During summer, however, it is advisable to store the product in the refrigerator or in the coolest possible environment as increased temperatures could encourage decay. 
• The ideal container for the storage of macadamia nuts is glass. Indeed, because of its composition it is impervious to chemical agents and gases, and, as it has excellent insulation properties, it holds the initial temperature for longer than other materials. It is even better if the glass is coloured: using coloured glass blocks the entry of certain wavelengths of light (including ultraviolet), and thus certain nutritional and organoleptic characteristics remain unaltered.  
• The type of closure of the container is also important as an airtight cap ensures that the food is protected from excessive contact with oxygen that can lead to lipid oxidation and encourage the growth of aerobic bacteria. 
• The best kind of storage environment is one which is well ventilated because ventilating the premises keeps internal humidity under control, which otherwise could escape from windows, thereby guaranteeing the right balance to lessen the onset of mould.