In an early 2003 study published in The Journal of Nutrition, 17 men with high cholesterol consumed 40 to 90 grams of macadamia nuts daily for four weeks. The study findings showed that eating macadamia nuts resulted in an average 3% reduction in the men’s total cholesterol levels and a 5.3% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels. Not only that, but the researchers saw an almost 8% increase in the men’s HDL cholesterol levels, although no relationship was observed between macadamia nut consumption and patient triglyceride concentration. The study team concluded that macadamia nuts may potentially offset the effects of a high-fat diet.
Similar results were found in an alternate 2008 study also published in The Journal of Nutrition, in which researchers compared the effects of a diet high in macadamia nuts against a typical American diet in 25 men and women with mildly high cholesterol. Those in the nut group saw greater decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels than participants who maintained an average American diet. Again, no effects were seen on patient triglyceride concentrations. The researchers ultimately determined that macadamia nuts may be among some of the different types of nuts that promote heart health and that incorporating them into one’s diet may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
