Easy ways to include macadamia nuts in your everyday diet

Do you look at someone eating nuts with a tinge of regret and say, "No thanks, no nuts for me?” Well, you couldn't be more wrong. It's time to take nuts off your taboo list because their bad reputation over the years is unjustified. Eating plenty of nuts, as it turns out, may actually be beneficial. Almost all nuts have a lot of nutritional benefits, and this is especially true for macadamia nuts.

Get the macadamia advantage!

All nuts provide a variety of nutritional benefits, and macadamia nuts, now available in the Indian market, are no exception. They offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, as well as good fats, making them an excellent addition to one's diet. They contain essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

Additionally, they contain only healthy fats, specifically monounsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels, which can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.

They are also beneficial for those with diabetes due to their combination of fibre, monounsaturated fats, and other nutrients. Furthermore, they are a low glycemic index food and do not cause a spike in blood sugar.

Lastly, they are a delicious nut to eat due to their crunchy, rich, and buttery flavor. It's recommended to aim to eat a healthy handful of macadamias (about 30g or 6-7 whole nuts) every day to reap the health benefits.

How to eat more?

Try these interesting 12 ways to include more of these nuts in your everyday diet:

• 1. They make a perfect snack for mid-meals and can be eaten raw or roasted. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh.

• 2. Pair them with cheese and have them as an after-dinner snack for late nights.

• 3. Use your imagination to add them to various dishes such as home-baked bread, main dishes, sauces, and stuffings.

• 4. Sprinkle finely chopped macadamia nuts on cereal, oats, granola, yogurt, chicken or fish, and vegetable stir-fries.

• 5. Make a buttery pasta sauce with them.

• 6. Add them to your desserts. They make a great addition to apple crisps and cakes or make caramelised macadamia nuts for a healthy sweet treat.

• 7. Add a buttery flavour to cookies with chopped nuts.

• 8. Add a crunch to your salad by sprinkling some chopped nuts on top of your leafy salad.

• 9. Add a handful of raw macadamia nuts to your smoothie to improve its texture, make it creamy and thick, and add more nutrition.

• 10. Make pesto and hummus with macadamia nuts.

• 11. Use them in soups instead of fried croutons.

• 12. Make a macadamia nut sauce and eat it with crackers or toast.