Macadamia Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Review of Clinical Trials

Abstract

Nuts are associated with reduced risk cardiovascular disease, primarily due to their fatty acid composition. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved a qualified health claim for tree nuts and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, some nuts, such as macadamia nuts, were specifically excluded from the qualified health claim. The aim of this scientific review is to summarize the nutrient content of macadamia nuts and evaluate the scientific evidence linking macadamia nuts to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Macadamia nuts are a tree nut rich in palmitoleic acid and oleic acid, both of which are unsaturated fatty acids. Other bioactive compounds in macadamia nuts, such as vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, protein, and phytochemicals may affect chronic disease risk. Six peer‐reviewed scientific articles have investigated the effect of macadamia nuts on blood lipids and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Although the macadamia nut dose and the study design differed among the studies, all six articles reported improvements in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly decreased total blood cholesterol and LDL‐cholesterol. This paper concludes that there is adequate scientific evidence to support the therapeutic role of macadamia nuts in lowering blood cholesterol, a well‐recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease.