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Why you should add a handful of macadamias to your smoothie everyday

For a convenient snack that offers taste and nutrition you can’t go past a smoothie. 

Add a handful of macadamias and your smoothie transforms into a balanced and sustaining treat that will help you keep up with your busy lifestyle.

We’re all busy and want to enjoy food that helps us to stay on top of things. But, while we don’t want to compromise on flavour and nutrition, it’s got to be quick and easy to make. In short, we want it all! 

Smoothies are popular because they fulfil all these requirements – and they’re also portable! Whether on the way to work for breakfast, to refuel after a gym workout, or as a healthy after-school snack, smoothies just work and they taste a treat as well. 

The great news is you can make your smoothie even better with a handful of macadamias. Yes, smoothies have moved beyond just milk and fruit to offer even more nutritious, balanced and sustaining nourishment, and macadamias are proving themselves an excellent ingredient. 

Australia’s native nut occupies a very special place in our hearts and minds for good reasons. First and foremost, they taste absolutely delicious! In smoothies they add texture and a decadent buttery richness. And when it comes to fuelling your busy body, macadamias have much to offer, both in terms of what they’ve got as well as what they haven’t. 

Macadamias are naturally gluten-free, low in sugar, very low in sodium (salt), low-carb, raw and paleo-diet friendly. They’ve got lots of good stuff too, such as fibre for a happy gut, healthy monounsaturated fats that help look after your heart, good amounts of thiamine (vitamin B1) to get the most energy from your food, and are a good source of the essential mineral manganese for healthy bones and joints. 

Macadamia green smoothie

Being a plant food straight from nature, macadamias also contain phytochemicals such as antioxidants that help boost the body’s natural defences. And as an added bonus, macadamias in your smoothie will also lower the GI (glycemic index), which means it will keep you going for longer and support healthy blood glucose levels.

To support your healthy lifestyle, supercharge your smoothie with the nutritional benefits of macadamias. Try our classic macadamia banana smoothie, or let your imagination run wild with your own signature smoothie using your favourite ingredients. 

Macadamias go well with tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple, passionfruit and papaya; and berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. They also marry well with the flavours of coffee, coconut, cocoa/cacao, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. 

Here’s a beautifully simple and refreshing Mango, mint and macadamia smoothie recipe to get you started – try it with frozen mango for the ultimate ice-cold snack in a glass.

Mango, mint and macadamia smoothie recipe

½ mango, flesh only, skin removed (frozen, if desired)

1 handful of fresh mint leaves (amount from 1-2 stalks)

½ cup light milk (or plant-based alternative like macadamia or soy)

1 handful of raw, unsalted macadamias (or a tablespoon of macadamia butter)

Process all ingredients until smooth and enjoy.

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References

• Nutritional composition of Macadamias available at URL http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3123/2 
• Garg M et al. Macadamia Nut Consumption Modulates Favourably Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects. Lipids. 2007;42(6):583-7
• Del Gobbo LC, Falk MC, Feldman R et al. Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis and doe-response of 61 controlled intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2015;102 (6):1347-56
• Bolling BW, Chen CY, McKay DL, Blumberg JB. Tree nut phytochemicals: composition, antioxidant capacity, bioactivity, impact factors. A systematic review of almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Nutr Res Rev. 2011 Dec;24(2):244-75.
• Viguiliouk E, Kendall CW, Blanco Mejia S et al. Effect of tree nuts on glycemic control in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised dietary trials. PLoS One 2014;9 (7)
• Kendall CW, Esfahani A, Josse AR et al. The glycemic effect of nut-enriched meals in healthy and diabetic subjects. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011;21 Suppl 1:S34-9.
• Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) 2016, Schedule 4: Nutrition Health and Related Claims.  

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