Macadamia nuts are known for their crunchy, buttery taste, and they are one of the most popular common nuts you can buy.
Nutritionally they are exceptionally high in monounsaturated fats, contain some fiber, and provide notable amounts of essential nutrients like manganese, copper, and thiamin.
Macadamia nuts have also been researched for their potential health effects, with studies suggesting they may potentially lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, as a tree nut, allergies are possible, and there have been rare confirmed reports of salmonella contamination.
In this guide, we’ll go through all the relevant need-to-know information and discuss what the science shows.
Macadamia nuts also contain other vitamins and minerals in slightly lower amounts, and we’ll present their complete nutritional profile later in this article.
Benefits of Macadamia Nuts
In this section, we will take a balanced look at the benefits of macadamia nuts.
High in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
Monounsaturated fat is the predominant fat in macadamia nuts, with the nuts being roughly 60% monounsaturated fat by weight.
Monounsaturated fat, sometimes known as MUFA for short, is an unsaturated fat that doesn’t tend to raise LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) like some saturated fats can. It is also found in foods like olive oil and avocados.
The main fatty acid in monounsaturated fat, and in macadamias, is called oleic acid.
Modest effect: Oleic acid interventions had a modest but consistent effect in improving lipid (cholesterol) profiles in human trials.
Dose: The magnitude of these benefits was dose-dependent.
Nuances: The effects were more significant when replacing other dietary fats (like saturated fat).
Significance: The absolute effect in reducing LDL cholesterol was quite small. However, the researchers noted that if the effects were sustained across larger numbers of people, it could mean a meaningful reduction in cardiovascular risk across the population.
May Support Heart Health
Several randomized controlled trials have investigated the impact of macadamia nuts on cholesterol profiles:
A 2023 randomized controlled trial involving 35 participants found that consuming macadamia nuts at 15% of daily calories led to a 4% reduction in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to habitual diet. Based on a 2000-calorie diet, 15% of calories would be around 1.5 ounces (43g) of macadamia nuts (300 calories). However, the 4% reduction was not statistically significant, meaning the study design and participant numbers were not strong enough to show the effect with certainty.
A 2000 randomized controlled trial found that a macadamia nut-based monounsaturated fat diet with 37% of energy from fat reduced LDL-C by 6 mg/dL. This effect was compared to a ‘typical American diet’ which was higher in saturated fat.
A small 1996 trial found that macadamia nut intake at 20% of total calories lowered LDL-C by 10.7% compared to baseline at the start of the study. However, a high-carbohydrate control diet also had the same effect.
Further older studies published in 2000 and 2008 have also found that macadamia nuts can lower LDL-C.
It is worth noting that the mechanism for this reduction in LDL-C mentioned above is typically from replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fat, as has been seen in numerous controlled studies.
As macadamia nuts are rich in monounsaturated fat, they can have this impact.
However, there is a nuance to understand here: replacing sources of polyunsaturated fat (such as almonds or sunflower seeds) with macadamia nuts may not have the same effect. This is because polyunsaturated fats tend to most significantly reduce LDL-C out of the different types of fat, whereas saturated fats tend to increase it.
Potential Downsides
Although macadamia nuts are a reasonably nutritious whole food, they do have a few drawbacks too.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, approximately 0.5–1% of the United States population has a tree nut allergy, which is 1 in every 100–200 people.
However, a 2015 systematic review found that while confirmed tree nut allergy was less than 2%, “probable” tree nut allergy was as high as 4.9% in some countries.
Like with all nuts, allergic reactions to macadamia nuts can be severe, and there have been reported cases of anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction).
If you suspect you may have an allergy to nuts, avoid contact with macadamia nuts and consult with your healthcare provider for confirmation and guidance.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a type of foodborne bacteria that can cause sickness in people, which is known as salmonellosis. Salmonellosis can be severe, particularly for older adults, very young children, and those with a compromised immune system.
While there are several ways for salmonella to spread, consuming contaminated food is a major cause, and macadamia nuts have been linked to salmonella outbreaks.
There has also been occasional recalls of raw macadamia nuts due to potential salmonella contamination and confirmed salmonella contamination.
Should You Be Concerned?
Firstly, it is understandable that the mention of salmonella contamination can be worrying. While contamination can occur, it is important to put it into perspective:
No reported illnesses: There have been no reported illnesses of salmonellosis in the United States due to contaminated macadamia nuts.
Raw vs. roasted: Salmonella contamination appears to be more common with raw macadamia nuts than roasted nuts based on reports. Most macadamias available on store shelves are roasted. Note: While roasting should reduce salmonella risk due to the temperatures involved, it doesn’t mean no risk.
Complete Nutrition Facts
Now that you know a little more about the nutrients and potential benefits of macadamia nuts, let’s look at their full nutritional profile.
The following tables show the calorie, macronutrient, vitamin, and mineral content of macadamia nuts both per 100 grams and per one-ounce (28.35g) serving. We have calculated Percent Daily Values (% DV), rounded to the nearest percentage, based on USDA data.
Table 1: Calorie and macronutrient content of macadamia nuts per 100g and per one-ounce (28.35g) serving
As the table shows, just a one-ounce serving of macadamia nuts contains over 200 calories. This makes them calorie-dense, so this is something to be aware of when considering portion size.
Vitamins
Vitamin
Per 100g (% DV)
Per ounce/28.35g (% DV)
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 mcg (0%)
0 mcg (0%)
Vitamin C
0.7 mg (1%)
0.20 mg (<1%)
Vitamin D
0 mcg (0%)
0 mcg (0%)
Vitamin E
0.57 mg (4%)
0.16 mg (1%)
Vitamin K
0 mcg (0%)
0 mcg (0%)
Thiamin (B1)
0.71 mg (59%)
0.20 mg (17%)
Riboflavin (B2)
0.09 mg (7%)
0.03 mg (2%)
Niacin (B3)
2.27 mg (14%)
0.64 mg (4%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)
0.60 mg (12%)
0.17 mg (3%)
Vitamin B6
0.36 mg (21%)
0.10 mg (6%)
Folate (B9)
10 mcg (3%)
2.84 mcg (1%)
Vitamin B12
0 mcg (0%)
0 mcg (0%)
Choline
44.6 mg (8%)
12.6 mg (2%)
Table 2: Vitamin content of macadamia nuts per 100g and per one-ounce (28.35g) serving
Minerals
Mineral
Per 100g (% DV)
Per ounce/28.35g (% DV)
Calcium
70 mg (5%)
19.8 mg (2%)
Iron
2.65 mg (15%)
0.75 mg (4%)
Magnesium
118 mg (28%)
33.5 mg (8%)
Phosphorus
198 mg (16%)
56.1 mg (4%)
Potassium
363 mg (8%)
103 mg (2%)
Sodium
4 mg (<1%)
1.13 mg (<1%)
Zinc
1.29 mg (12%)
0.37 mg (3%)
Copper
0.57 mg (63%)
0.16 mg (18%)
Manganese
3.04 mg (132%)
0.86 mg (37%)
Selenium
11.7 mcg (21%)
3.32 mcg (6%)
Table 3: Mineral content of macadamia nuts per 100g and per one-ounce (28.35g) serving
While macadamia nuts do provide a broad range of vitamins and minerals, they aren’t the most nutrient-rich nut, and other nut options arguably offer greater micronutrient levels.
For slightly greater vitamin and mineral density, almonds and Brazil nuts tend to offer a bit more.
Are Macadamia Nuts a Healthy Choice?
Macadamia nuts provide high levels of monounsaturated fat, thiamin, copper, and manganese. They also offer a small amount of fiber and protein.
While they aren’t the most nutrient-rich food in the world, they have an enjoyable taste and research suggests they may help support healthy cholesterol levels.
As mentioned earlier, they are high in calories and it is relatively easy to eat more than you intended, so sensible portion sizes are important. About an ounce (28.35g) is right, which is a small handful.
Full List of Scientific References
(Select to Expand)
All citations used within this article are listed below, with full details for each scientific source.
USDA. (2019). Nuts, macadamia nuts, dry roasted, without salt added. View USDA data
Yetao Han et al. (2026). Effects of high-oleic dietary interventions on cardiometabolic outcomes in adults: a GRADE-based systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. View study in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome journal
David M. Colquhoun et al. (1996). Effects of a macadamia nut enriched diet on serum lipids and lipoproteins compared to a low fat diet. View study in Food Australia journal
Manohar L Garg et al. (2003). Macadamia nut consumption lowers plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic men. View study in the Journal of Nutrition
Amy E. Griel et al. (2008). A macadamia nut-rich diet reduces total and LDL-cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women. View study in the Journal of Nutrition
Brian A. Ference et al. (2017). Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society consensus panel. View study in the European Heart Journal
U.S. FDA. (2025). Questions and answers regarding food allergens, including the food allergen labeling requirements of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act (edition 5): Guidance for industry. View U.S. FDA information
Takashi Kiyama and Katsuhiko Kitazawa. (2024). Macadamia nut-induced anaphylactic shock requiring repeated intramuscular adrenaline administration in a three-year-old girl. View study in Cureus journal
Guodong Zhang et al. (2021). Prevalence of salmonella in cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and walnuts in the United States. View study in the Journal of Food Protection
U.S. FDA. (2024). Sunco & Frenchie LLC. recalls Terrafina brand Macadamia in the Raw because of possible health risk. View FDA information
Michael works as a nutritionist in a community setting and holds a Master's degree in Clinical Nutrition. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) with the Association for Nutrition (AfN), and has published peer-reviewed research.
