When a recipe calls for cooking oil, which one do you reach for? You may prefer avocado oil for cooking on the highest heat settings, while coconut oil imparts its sweet flavor in recipes, and olive oil is a staple in any pantry. But if you’re searching for a cooking oil that’s both healthy and multipurpose, look no further than macadamia oil.

Also known as macadamia nut oil, this cooking essential is a versatile ingredient to have stocked in your kitchen. From high-heat cooking to adding subtle flavor to dressings, macadamia oil is a jack of all trades.

First Things First: What Are Macadamia Nuts?

Macadamias are large evergreen trees originally from the coastal rainforests of Australia.¹ They were likely a minor source of food for native Australians, but a major trade item when they made contact with early European settlers.²

Despite being native only to Australia, many associate macadamia nuts with Hawaii, as the islands were once the largest producer in the world and responsible for its popularization.³

“About 100 years ago, they realized that macadamia trees can grow very, very well in Hawaii,” says Morgan Roy, CEO of Jindilli Farms. “So, for most of the 1900s, Hawaii had been the dominant player when it came to macadamias.”

Today, South Africa is the biggest exporter of macadamia nuts,⁴ but Hawaii remains the primary supplier for U.S. markets.

Though not a true nut, macadamia nuts are the seeds of macadamia trees, encased in a hard outer shell. The shell is so hard that it has the same tensile strength as pure aluminum and requires about 880 pounds (400 kg) of force to crack.⁵ The seeds themselves can be eaten raw but are often roasted and cooked into confections and chocolates.¹ You can enjoy macadamia nuts yourself by roasting them with spices or making them into a homemade nut butter or dairy-free cheese.

RECIPE: Tropical Smoothie Bowl with Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts have been found to be higher than many oils in monounsaturated fats, which are known to be anti-inflammatory, particularly compared to the fatty acid profiles found in some other oils. They’re also rich sources of polyphenols, flavonoids, and manganese—all of which can reduce inflammation in the body and have a positive impact on pathways that are associated with aging.^6-11 In addition, several studies suggest that macadamia nuts can lower LDL and total cholesterol and improve satiety.^12–15

What Is Macadamia Oil?

Macadamia oil is extracted from macadamia nuts and can be used as a cooking oil, carrier oil for fragrance, or in skincare products. Jindilli Farms uses a cold-press extraction method to keep their TRUEPALEO™-certified macadamia oil as minimally refined as possible. As Roy explains, cold pressing “keeps the integrity of the nut, meaning the antioxidants, the fatty acids, and the flavor all remain as natural as possible.”

The Benefits of Cooking with Macadamia Oil

Culinary macadamia oil has a nutty, buttery flavor that lends itself well in salad dressings and marinades. Because it has a high smoke point of 413°F, macadamia oil is great for medium- to high-heat cooking, such as baking, sauteing, and simmering.¹⁶

Out of all Paleo-friendly cooking oils, macadamia oil has the highest monounsaturated fat content (particularly palmitoleic acid) and lowest polyunsaturated fat content, including against extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, almond oil, flaxseed oil, and coconut oil.^8,17

There is evidence that this unique fatty acid profile offers metabolic advantages including reduced inflammation and enhanced insulin sensitivity.^9,10,18 Though it’s important to note that most of the research on the health benefits looked at the whole nut and not the oil itself.

Macadamia oil is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E, which also contributes to the oil’s stability. When stored in a cool, dark place, it has the longest shelf life compared to avocado oil, almond oil, and walnut oil—about 15 months.^19,20

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient. A 2023 umbrella review found strong evidence that vitamin E can reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality and improve endothelial function, and it has been associated with protective effects on numerous health outcomes, including blood pressure, certain cancers, and child asthma.²¹

In addition, macadamia nuts have the lowest concentration of omega-6 fatty acids compared to any other nut: just 1-2%.²² This makes the oil beneficial for maintaining an ideal 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in a healthy diet. Due to the low omega-6 content, macadamia oil is in turn low in linoleic acid, which is ideal to consume in smaller amounts.

Macadamia oil can be environmentally friendly, too. According to Roy, “macadamia oil has about a 35% lower carbon footprint than oils like avocado oil.” Jindilli Farms uses regenerative practices in growing their macadamia trees that contribute to sustainability, with no-till farming to maintain the soil’s ecosystem and watering with natural rainfall instead of irrigation systems.

How to Use Macadamia Oil

You can experiment with macadamia oil by using it in place of almost any recipe with cooking oil:

• Sauté salmon filets seasoned with a macadamia oil-based marinade of lemon, dill, garlic, and mustard.
• Toss macadamia oil with shrimp and herbs to create a zesty coating perfect for transferring to the grill.
• Create a simple macadamia-lemon vinaigrette to pair with Chicken Cucumber Salad.
• Add a couple tablespoons of oil to moisten the batter of these Pineapple-Coconut Muffins and complement their tropical taste.
• Boost the nutty flavors in this Chestnut Parsnip Soup buy substituting the olive oil for macadamia nut oil.

However you choose to use macadamia oil, you’ll be supporting your overall health in the process.

References

1. Macadamia | Description, Uses, & Cultivation. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/macadamia
2. McConachie , I. (2012). The Macadamia Story – An Overview (M. Powell, Ed.). The Australian Macadamia Society. https://wildmacadamia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/The-Macadamia-Story.pdf
3. Shigeura, G., & Ooka, H. (1984). Macadamia Nuts in Hawaii: History and Production. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RES-039.pdf
4. Top Macadamia Nuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices. (n.d.). World’s Top Exports. https://www.worldstopexports.com/top-macadamia-nuts-exports-imports-by-country-plus-average-prices/
5. Macadamia -a hard nut to crack! Why do Macadamia nuts have hard shells? (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2025, from https://www.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1292331/Macadamia-nuts-why-do-they-have-hard-shells-1.pdf
6. Bolling, B. W., Chen, C.-Y. . O., McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2011). Tree nut phytochemicals: composition, antioxidant capacity, bioactivity, impact factors. A systematic review of almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Nutrition Research Reviews, 24(2), 244–275. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22153059/
7. Rajaram, S., Damasceno, N. R. T., Braga, R. A. M., Martinez, R., Kris-Etherton, P., & Sala-Vila, A. (2023). Effect of Nuts on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 15(5), 1099. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10005658/
8. Canellos, D., & Webster, D. (2025). Macadamia Nutrition & Health: Research Analysis | Third Edition. World Macadamia Organisation.
9. Zhang M, Zhang Y, Li L, Wei C, Dai T, Li Y, et al. Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) Oil Prevents High-Fat Diet-Induced Lipid Accumulation and Oxidative Stress by Activating the AMPK/Nrf2 Pathway. Foods 2024;13:3672. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13223672
10. Nunes E, Rafacho A. Implications of Palmitoleic Acid (Palmitoleate) On Glucose Homeostasis, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes. Curr Drug Targets 2017;18:619–28. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389450117666151209120345
11. Shuai X, Dai T, McClements DJ, Ruan R, Du L, Liu Y, et al. Hypolipidemic effects of macadamia oil are related to AMPK activation and oxidative stress relief: In vitro and in vivo studies. Food Res Int 2023;168:112772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112772
12. Griel, A. E., Cao, Y., Bagshaw, D. D., Cifelli, A. M., Holub, B., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (2008). A Macadamia Nut-Rich Diet Reduces Total and LDL-Cholesterol in Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Men and Women. The Journal of Nutrition, 138(4), 761–767. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18356332/
13. Maguire, L. S., O’Sullivan, S. M., Galvin, K., O’Connor, T. P., & O’Brien, N. M. (2004). Fatty acid profile, tocopherol, squalene and phytosterol content of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and the macadamia nut. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 55(3), 171–178. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15223592/
14. Nishi, S. K., Paz-Graniel, I., Ni, J., Valle-Hita, C., Khoury, N., Garcia-Gavilán, J. F., Babio, N., & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2024). Effect of nut consumption on blood lipids: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 103771. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475324003909
15. Ni, D., Gunness, P., Smyth, H. E., & Gidley, M. J. (2021). Exploring relationships between satiation, perceived satiety, and plant‐based snack food features. International Journal of Food Science & Technology. https://academic.oup.com/ijfst/article/56/10/5340/7806002
16. (n.d.). Cooking Oil Smoke Point Chart. Fort Gordon U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Retrieved July 28, 2025, from https://gordon.armymwr.com/application/files/9117/1534/9840/Cooking_Oil_Smoke_Point_Chart.pdf
17. American Heart Association. (2023, October 25). Monounsaturated Fat. Www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/monounsaturated-fats
18. Lima EA, Silveira LS, Masi LN, Crisma AR, Davanso MR, Souza GIG, et al. Macadamia Oil Supplementation Attenuates Inflammation and Adipocyte Hypertrophy in Obese Mice. Mediat Inflamm 2014;2014:870634. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/870634
19. Kochhar, S. P., & Henry, C. J. K. (2009). Oxidative stability and shelf-life evaluation of selected culinary oils. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 60 Suppl 7, 289–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637480903103774
20. Kaseke, T., Fawole, O. A., & Opara, U. L. (2021). Chemistry and Functionality of Cold-Pressed Macadamia Nut Oil. Processes, 10(1), 56. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/10/1/56
21. Xiong, Z., Liu, L., Jian, Z., Ma, Y., Li, H., Jin, X., Liao, B., & Wang, K.-J. (2023). Vitamin E and Multiple Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses. Nutrients, 15(15), 3301–3301. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10421296
22. Greenwalt, D. (2025). Leanness Lifestyle University. Lluniversity.com. https://lluniversity.com/blog/nuts-and-oils-coconut-macadamia.php