Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D and clinical nutrition specialist, lists macadamia nut oil among the top most healthful foods that you consume in his book "The 150 Most Healthy Foods on Earth." Bowden explains that macadamia nut oil has gained exposure and interest largely from Dr. Fred Pescatore's "Hamptons Diet."
Nutritional Profile
Like most cooking oils, such as olive oil and canola oil, macadamia nut oil is high in dietary fat. According to the Department of Environmental Biochemistry at University of Hawaii, macadamia nut oil is 79 percent healthful monounsaturated fats. Macadamia Nut Oil is perhaps the most concentrated source of monounsaturated fat that you can consume. Additionally, macadamia nut oil has very low concentrations of saturated fat and omega-6 fatty acids. Macadamia nut oil contains no partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or trans fatty acids.
Monounsatuated Fats
Macadamia nut oil has more monounsaturated fat and less saturated fat than olive oil. The monounsaturated fat in macadamia nut oil is what makes it especially good for you. According to Bowden, the majority the monounsaturated fat is healthy-healthy oleic acid. Oleic acid can decrease your risk of heart disease significantly by lowering your LDL or "bad" cholesterol, raising your HDL or "good" cholesterol and lowering your triglycerides levels. Bowden believes that 99 percent of the cardiovascular health benefits that come from olive oil, can be had with macadamia nut oil as well.
Low in Omega-6
It is beneficial that macadamia nut oil is low in omega-6 since the average American diet includes way too much omega-6. Most people are familiar with omega-3 fatty acids and may not have heard of omega-6. Omega-6 fatty acids are healthful as well, but only in moderation. Omega-6 fatty acids are healthful when they are in an equal or close to ratio with omega-3 fatty acids. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, a healthful ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 1:1. In the average Western diet, the ratio is 16:1.
Higher Quality Products than Olive Oil
The macadamia nut oil for sale in the United States may be of better quality than the olive oil for sale. Bowden explains that the Hampton's Diet includes macadamia nut oil as the primary source of dietary fats instead of extra virgin olive oil because Pescatore believes the olive oil that is commercially sold in the United States is not up to par. Pescatore believes that the current manufacturing methods and standards for super mass produced cooking oils such as extra virgin olive oil have resulted in inferior products. He thinks the olive oil commercially sold in the United States may not carry the health benefits of authentic, extra virgin, estate-bottled olive oil. While this is not necessarily true, 100 percent macadamia nut oil appears to be at least as healthful, if not more healthful than olive oil.
References
- "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth"; Dr. Jonny Bowden; 2007
- "Nutrition": Healthful new oil from macadamia nuts.; 1995
- Linus Pauling Institute: Two Faces of Inflammation; Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D.
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good
- MacNutOil.com: MacNut Oil Comparisons
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