Macadamia trees are evergreen trees native to Australia named after the Scottish-Australian scientist John Macadam. Macadamia was introduced into Malawi onto the tea plantations in 1968 where it flourished and is now a major export income earner for Malawi.
Three of the four species of macadamia (integrifolia, ternifolia, tetraphylla) produce edible nuts which are particularly rich in monounsaturated oils (omega-9 > 50%, omega-7 > 10%). The macadamia nut contains the highest amount of monounsaturated fat of any seed.
The high nutritional value of macadamia nuts could provide significant benefits and improvement to the health of smallholder communities in Malawi.
Macadamia nutrition table
| Content in 100g | Macadamia nut | Olive kernel flesh | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 3,080 kJ (740 kcal) | 3050 kJ (730 kcal) | |
| Carbohydrates | 13.8 g | 19.2 g | |
| Sugars | 4.6 g | 2.7 g | |
| Dietary fibre | 8.6 g | 16.5 g | |
| Fat | 75.8 g | 76.5 g | |
| Saturated | 12 g | 10 g | |
| Monounsaturated | 59 g | 55 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 1.5 g | 6.5 g | |
| Protein | 7.9 g | 5.2 g | |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin A equiv. | 20 µg (3%) | ||
| Vitamin B6 | 275 µg (21%) | 31 µg (2%) | |
| Vitamin C | 1.2 mg (1%) | ||
| Vitamin E | 0.54 mg (4%) | 3.81 mg (25%) | |
| Vitamin K | 1.4 µg (1%) | ||
| Trace minerals | |||
| Calcium | 85 mg (9%) | 52 mg (5%) | |
| Iron | 3.69 mg (28%) | 0.49 mg (4%) | |
| Magnesium | 130 mg (37%) | 11 mg (3%) | |
| Phosphorus | 188 mg (27%) | 4 mg (1%) | |
| Potassium | 368 mg (8%) | 42 mg (1%) | |
| Sodium | 1.56 g (104%) | ||
| Zinc | 1.3 mg (14%) | ||
| Other | |||
| Water | 1.4 g | 75.3 g |
Data sourced from the nutrition tables at Wikipedia.
Nutritional value is per 100g with % values being the approximate daily recommended allowance for adults.
* if well planted and cared for NMT have found trees bearing fruit within 2½ years.
** this figure refers to the mass of kernel and shell. Typical kernel mass is about 25% to 30% of the total. Kernel harvest can be between about 12 to 15 kg per year and the amount of crop varies depending on growing conditions, moisture and the kernel/shell separation process