Macadamia is a nut that belongs to the Proteaceae family and the genus Macadamia. It differs from others at the highest price. He comes from Australia, and its high cost is due to the difficulty of growing.
It grows on trees reaching no more than 15 m in height. They have leathery smooth leaves, but they give the first crop only 8-10 years after planting. But they live up to 100 years, and all this time they will bear fruit. Nuts hang from branches in long clusters. Collect them only by hand. An experienced collector in one day will be able to "get" no more than 150 kg. It takes at least six months to ripen the nuts. A ripe fruit with a diameter of about 3.5 cm. It is impossible to say that it is impossible to clean them by hand, since the core is in close contact with the shell, and it is crushed from the impact. That is why macadamia nut is only machine cleaned.
Macadamia plantations are found in Brazil, Australia, the southern United States, Hawaii, and South Africa. In the year it is produced less than, for example, black caviar - only 40 tons. Therefore, he even in his historical homeland costs more than $ 30 per kilogram. As long as the macadamia nut reaches the rest of the world, the price, of course, rises by an order. Although at present this product has been grown in many countries with a tropical climate, and it is becoming more popular and affordable.
Macadamia nut has round, very hard fruits, in which it is very difficult to separate the kernel from the shell. The first is sweet, white. It can be fried, or it can be consumed fresh, slightly salted before. It tastes somewhat like hazelnut, but is much more nutritious and tastier. Its kernels make excellent oil. It is transparent, almost colorless, has a faint aroma. And, like Provencal, it belongs to the highest category of all edible oils. Connoisseurs of these nuts believe that sherry and coffee best emphasize the taste of macadamia.
By its taste, nutritional value and
caloric content, macadamia
nut is a champion among its “brothers”. Approximately 700 kilocalories is in its 100 grams, while they have a lot of fats and few carbohydrates. These nuts contain quite a lot of B vitamins, as well as copper and potassium. There is another property endowed with macadamia. Walnut, the use of which is very much appreciated in cosmetology, has an antioxidant property. This in itself is unique, as the substance contained in it resembles vegetable wax. But in the plant world this happens only in the form of a wax coating, and, as you know, it is impossible to collect it. Therefore, macadamia is very much appreciated and used in cosmetology for the production of products that are prone to peeling, dry skin. It is also used by manufacturers of hair dyes.
By the way, macadamia nut is a danger to dogs. For the human body, it has great benefits. There are practically no contraindications for its use. But on the body of our smaller brothers, it has a toxic effect. Walnut causes poisoning in them, which occurs with severe weakness. If a dog eats at least one such nucleolus, then after that it will not be able to rise to its feet for 12 hours. But recovery comes quickly enough, in just two days, the animal will return to its previous shape.