By Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RDN | Published October 13, 2026 | Updated October 13, 2026
Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RDN, is a media dietitian with more than a decade of experience working with brands through TV, content creation, and consulting. She’s been featured in SELF, Well + Good, Eating Well, and Real Simple.
Key takeaways
Chronic, low-grade inflammation is often tied to eating patterns heavy in refined oils and processed snacks. A fall pantry reset is an easy place to start shifting that.
Macadamia nuts have the highest monounsaturated fat content of any tree nut (16.7g per ounce, nearly double almonds), and they’re rich in good fats that may help fight inflammation.
One ounce is also an excellent source of manganese (about 50% of the Daily Value), a mineral the body uses to make antioxidant enzymes.
Swapping chips or crackers for a 1-ounce handful of macadamias (about 10–12 nuts) is a small step toward an anti-inflammatory way of eating, and an easy one to stick with.
Fall has a way of making you want to hit reset: new routines, cooler mornings, a fresh start after a hectic summer schedule. As a dietitian, I think your pantry deserves the same reset. Not a full clear-out, just a shift toward staples that actually support your body through the busier season ahead. One of the easiest swaps: macadamia nuts, a snack whose fat profile supports an anti-inflammatory way of eating.
Are Macadamia Nuts Anti-Inflammatory?
Macadamias are one of the best whole-food fits for an anti-inflammatory pantry. They have the highest monounsaturated fat content of any tree nut and are rich in good fats that may help fight inflammation [1, 2, 3]. They’re also an excellent source of manganese, a mineral the body uses to make antioxidant enzymes [1, 4].
Inflammation isn’t inherently bad. It’s part of how your body heals. But the standard American diet, which is heavy on refined oils and processed snacks, can lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation that can leave you feeling sluggish and worn down over time. The solution isn’t complicated. You can start by building your pantry around foods with fat profiles that work with your body instead of against it.
Macadamias are one of the best examples. Most of their fat is monounsaturated, 16.7 grams per ounce, nearly double the amount in almonds, and much of it is oleic acid (omega-9), the main fatty acid in olive oil [1]. Research suggests those fats may help fight inflammation [2, 3]. In one small clinical study, men with high cholesterol who ate macadamias daily for four weeks had significantly lower blood markers of inflammation and oxidative stress [2]. In other words, this is a snack that can positively impact your health, not just fill time between meals.
What Else Makes Macadamias a Smart Anti-Inflammatory Snack?
An excellent source of manganese. One ounce provides about 50% of the Daily Value for manganese, a mineral the body uses to make antioxidant enzymes and to support normal immune function [1, 4].
Low in carbohydrates. One ounce has 3.9 grams of total carbohydrate, 2.4 grams of which is fiber [1].
Satisfying. In a study comparing six plant-based foods (apple, avocado, banana, carrot, chickpea, and macadamia), macadamias left people feeling the fullest three hours after eating [5]. That makes a small handful an easy swap for a bag of chips.
Heart health. The FDA allows a qualified health claim for macadamia nuts: “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces per day of macadamia nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and not resulting in increased intake of saturated fat or calories may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. See nutrition information for fat and calorie content.” [7]
Which Macadamia Nuts Should You Keep in Your Pantry?
Keep both Mauna Loa Natural and Mauna Loa Sea Salt varieties in rotation:
Natural is the pantry workhorse. No added salt, just the nut itself, which makes it the one to reach for when adding crunch to a fall grain bowl, folding into a batch of granola, or topping roasted squash. It’s a versatile addition to your recipes for texture and added nutrition.
Sea Salt is the one to keep on your desk or in the car cup holder. A light touch of salt (90mg of sodium per serving) turns it into a genuinely satisfying snack. It’s the go-to for something savory that still aligns with an anti-inflammatory way of eating.
Both come from Mauna Loa, which has been growing and roasting macadamias in Hawaiʻi for 50 years and sources the vast majority of its nuts from the Islands, including its own Kapua Orchards in South Kona.
How to Start an Anti-Inflammatory Pantry Reset
A pantry reset doesn’t have to mean overhauling everything at once. Start by swapping whatever’s currently filling the gap between meals, like chips and crackers, for a pouch of Mauna Loa macadamias instead. Small, sustainable changes like this are usually the ones that actually stick through a busy season.
Try this pairing: Toss a handful of macadamias with raspberries or strawberries for a creamy, sweet snack that combines good fats with fiber-rich fruit.
Round out the reset with a few other staples that fit an anti-inflammatory way of eating:
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Like macadamias, it’s rich in oleic acid. It also contains oleocanthal, a compound that showed anti-inflammatory activity similar to ibuprofen in lab research [8]. Use it for roasting vegetables and making dressings.
- Oats: Oats provide beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that may reduce heart disease risk, along with avenanthramides, antioxidants found only in oats that have shown anti-inflammatory effects [9, 10]. Top a bowl with chopped macadamias and berries for a filling fall breakfast.
- Beans and lentils: These are packed with fiber and plant protein. In one eight-week trial, adults eating a legume-rich diet saw greater improvements in blood markers of inflammation than those eating a legume-free diet [11].
- Canned salmon: It’s an affordable, shelf-stable source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, which help regulate the body’s inflammatory response [12]. Choose bone-in for a bonus dose of calcium.
- Turmeric and ginger: Curcumin in turmeric and gingerols in ginger have anti-inflammatory properties, though most studies use concentrated amounts rather than the amounts used in cooking [13, 14]. Pair turmeric with black pepper, which significantly boosts curcumin absorption [15].
Frequently Asked Questions About Macadamias and Inflammation
Are macadamia nuts anti-inflammatory?
Macadamias are rich in good fats that may help fight inflammation. In one small clinical study, men with high cholesterol who ate macadamias daily for four weeks had lower blood markers of inflammation [2].
How many macadamia nuts are in a serving?
A standard serving is 1 ounce, about 10–12 nuts [1].
How many carbs are in macadamia nuts?
One ounce of macadamias has 3.9 grams of total carbohydrate, 2.4 grams of which is fiber [1].
Will eating macadamia nuts make me gain weight?
In an 8-week randomized trial, adults who ate macadamias daily (about 15% of their calories) had no significant change in body weight [6].
Sources
Nutrient values per 1-oz (28g) serving: USDA FoodData Central, “Nuts, macadamia nuts, raw”; Mauna Loa Nutrition Facts panel; World Macadamia Organization, “Macadamia Nutrition: Reflecting 2026 Consumer Trends,” September 2026.
Garg, M.L., Blake, R.J., Wills, R.B.H., and Clayton, E.H. “Macadamia Nut Consumption Modulates Favourably Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects.” Lipids, 2007;42(6):583–587. doi:10.1007/s11745-007-3042-8.
Wood, L.G., and Garg, M.L. “Macadamia Nuts (Macadamia integrifolia and tetraphylla) and their Use in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects.” In Patel, V.B., ed., Nuts and Seeds in Health and Disease Prevention, Academic Press, 2011:717–725. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-375688-6.10085-4.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. “Manganese: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” ods.od.nih.gov
Ni, D., Gunness, P., Smyth, H.E., and Gidley, M.J. “Exploring Relationships between Satiation, Perceived Satiety and Plant-based Snack Food Features.” International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 2021;56(10):5340–5351. doi:10.1111/ijfs.15102
Jones, J.L., Sabaté, J., Heskey, C., et al. “Macadamia Nut Effects on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Randomised Trial.” Journal of Nutritional Science, 2023;12:e55. doi:10.1017/jns.2023.39
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Completes Review of Qualified Health Claim Petition for Macadamia Nuts and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.” July 24, 2017. fda.gov
Beauchamp, G.K., Keast, R.S.J., Morel, D., et al. “Phytochemistry: Ibuprofen-like Activity in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.” Nature, 2005;437(7055):45–46. doi:10.1038/437045a
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR 101.81, “Health Claims: Soluble Fiber from Certain Foods and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.” ecfr.gov
Meydani, M. “Potential Health Benefits of Avenanthramides of Oats.” Nutrition Reviews, 2009;67(12):731–735. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00256.x
Hermsdorff, H.H., Zulet, M.Á., Abete, I., and Martínez, J.A. “A Legume-Based Hypocaloric Diet Reduces Proinflammatory Status and Improves Metabolic Features in Overweight/Obese Subjects.” European Journal of Nutrition, 2011;50(1):61–69. doi:10.1007/s00394-010-0115-x
Calder, P.C. “Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Processes: From Molecules to Man.” Biochemical Society Transactions, 2017;45(5):1105–1115. doi:10.1042/BST20160474
Hewlings, S.J., and Kalman, D.S. “Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health.” Foods, 2017;6(10):92. doi:10.3390/foods6100092
Mashhadi, N.S., Ghiasvand, R., Askari, G., et al. “Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ginger in Health and Physical Activity: Review of Current Evidence.” International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2013;4(Suppl 1):S36–S42.
Shoba, G., Joy, D., Joseph, T., et al. “Influence of Piperine on the Pharmacokinetics of Curcumin in Animals and Human Volunteers.” Planta Medica, 2007;64(4):353–356. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957450