A macadamia nut-based diet, containing high levels of monounsaturated fat, produces lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels than the typical American diet. The findings suggest that replacing the saturated fat in the typical diet with monounsaturated fat could reduce blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

Unlike many high-fat foods, which contain high levels of saturated fats, macadamia nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, which appear to have beneficial effects. The researchers note that the Mediterranean diet common in Greece and Southern Italy, contains olive oil, which is also rich in monounsaturated fat -- and heart disease rates are also low in these areas.

The macadamia nut-based diet the researchers studied used a few ounces daily of crushed, unsalted macadamia nuts as ingredients in sauces, casseroles, and the like.

Archives of Internal Medicine April 2000;160:1154-1158