Nuts like macadamias are nutrition powerhouses full of protein, fibre and healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health. The evidence is mounting that a handful of nuts per day can benefit everything from your waist circumference to your mental health.
As a general rule, nutritionists recommend one 30g serving of nuts every day for good health. Sounds easy, right? Well, in Australia most of us are only eating 6 grams of nuts a day - not enough for good health!
So we asked four busy people to tell us the creative ways they make sure they get a healthy handful or two of nuts (including everyone’s favourite: macadamias) into their day.
Caro Ryan, Lots of Fresh Air
“Nuts like macadamias are nature’s little energy balls! They are the go-to, easy-to-grab snack that’s always in my pack. Because of their size, a couple of handfuls fit easily into the hip pockets on my pack, so I always have them handy. I love them on their own or mixed with dried fruit and dark chocolate bits to create every Aussie hikers favourite snack: Scroggin (aka trail mix).
“If I’m feeling creative, I love experimenting with different nuts and seeds (about 3 cups of whatever’s in the cupboard) by lightly blitzing them in a blender and stirring through about 1/2 cup of rice malt syrup. I press this mix firmly into a slice tin and bake at 180C until golden. Let them cool down before cutting into bite- or muesli bar-sized chunks. Delish!”
Michelle Ross, MishFitSyd Girls Group Training
I love adding macadamias to my yoghurt or oats to give a little crunch. They are a great snack for when I'm on the run as they are easy to take with you anywhere.
I also love eating nuts with dried fruit (especially dates) to give me a boost to get me through the afternoon with my two year old son & new baby girl! They are full of good fats and extremely beneficial for your health. Definitely a great snack to keep you going between your main meals.”
Belinda Neville, Nuts for Life Dietitian
Casey-Lee Lyon, Live Love Nourish
Of course, we also love adding macadamias to our baking and sweet treats such as cookies, cakes, muffins and muesli bars. They also make a delicious addition to apple crumble topping.
We have a few favourite snacks including thin slices of apple spread with macadamia nut butter or homemade trail mix with macadamia pieces.
We also make a quick and easy sweet treat for kids called instant banana 'nice cream'. We simply whip up frozen banana with a splash of milk in a blender and add macadamias to make a thick and creamy ice-cream-textured treat. For younger kids, we add macadamia butter instead of the whole nuts - and we make that ourselves by blending raw macadamias in a high speed blender or food processor.”
What are your favourite ways to incorporate nuts into your day? Why not share your tips and tricks on our Facebook page?