1. Cooking and Eating
People can use macadamia oil in place of other oils in many dishes.
It has a higher smoke point than some other oils, such as olive oil, making it ideal for sautéing, roasting, and grilling.
Its mild flavor also makes macadamia oil ideal for baked goods or as a suitable base for salad dressings and marinades.
benefit
Macadamia oil has a variety of potential health benefits when people use it in cooking and as part of a balanced, healthy diet. These include:
heart health
Consuming macadamia oil may help your heart health. It contains high levels of monounsaturated fat. According to the American Heart Association (AHATrusted Source), monounsaturated fats can lower levels of bad cholesterol, which in turn can lower a person's risk of heart disease and stroke.
Antioxidants
Macadamia nut oil is a source of antioxidants. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, free radicals in the body can cause oxidative stress.
This may play a role in aging and the development of many diseases, including cancer. However, consuming antioxidants may help fight these free radicals.
Macadamia nut oil is also rich in oleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid with antioxidant properties. A 2016 study in rats showed that taking oleic acid supplements may help prevent the effects of oxidative stress.
Other research suggests that consuming oleic acid may be beneficial for cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Vitamin E
Macadamia nut oil also contains substances called tocotrienols, which are part of the vitamin E family.
Research shows that vitamin E and tocotrienols are potent antioxidants that may protect against cancer and a variety of other health conditions, including cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
2. Topical skin application
Macadamia oil is an ingredient in many skin care products, but can people also apply the pure oil directly to their skin?
It's important to test the oil on a small patch of skin first. While macadamia oil is generally safe, some people may develop a rash after applying it directly to their skin.
People with tree nut allergies should avoid macadamia nut oil.
benefit
Some people claim that applying macadamia oil to their skin has health benefits. These benefits include moisturizing and preventing wrinkles and skin damage.
However, evidence for these benefits is largely anecdotal or indirect.
The vitamin E in macadamia oil has many properties that are beneficial to human skin. For example, it absorbs easily and is a good moisturizer for very dry skin.
However, be aware that applying macadamia oil directly to your skin may clog pores and cause acne breakouts.
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can damage the DNA in human skin. Test-tube studies show that applying vitamin E to the skin can prevent this damage.
3.Natural conditioner
Many people use pure macadamia oil to strengthen and condition their hair.
Similar to using olive oil, a person can take a small amount and rub it directly into the hair. It's usually best to let the oil soak in your hair for a short period of time before rinsing out the excess oil.
benefit
People who use macadamia oil as a conditioner claim it can help:
- strengthen hair
- smooth hair
- add luster
- Makes hair easier to manage
Again, the evidence for these benefits is largely anecdotal.
generalize
Macadamia oil is often overlooked when cooking, but it is a healthy source of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and antioxidants.
Macadamia nut oil also has a higher smoke point than many other oils, including olive oil. This makes it a good choice for sautéing, roasting, and grilling.
Some people also use pure macadamia oil as a skin moisturizer and hair conditioner, claiming it has many health benefits when applied topically. However, much of the evidence for these benefits is largely anecdotal or indirect.
Macadamia nut oil is generally safe to use in cooking and on hair and skin. However, people with nut allergies should avoid macadamia nut oil.
