The Nut with the Hardest Shell

October 26, 2015

Written by Elise

Are you an expert on macadamias? Or do you only know they're great in cookies? Find out!

1. Macadamia trees originated in Australia and were  imported to Hawaii in 1882. Hawaii is the world’s largest producer, but the nuts also grow in California and Florida in the U.S.

2. The second largest producer of macadamias is Australia, but they also grow in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Indonesia, Taiwan, and New Zealand. Ours come from South Africa.

3. The story goes that the macadamia nut was discovered by Walter Hill, who was the Director of the Botany Garden in Brisbane. He found one of the nuts, cracked it open using a vise, and planted the seed. This "first" macadamia nut tree is still growing and producing nuts 157 years later. Typically the trees produce for about 70 years.

4. Macadamia nuts have the hardest shell of any fruit. It takes 300 PSI of pressure to crack it, an amount of pressure than can sometimes break human rib bones.

5. The limited quantity of nuts, as well as the difficulty of shelling them and current water conditions makes them very expensive.

6. These nuts provide the highest amount of monounsaturated fat and keep you feeling full longer. They’re a rich source of fiber and also contain magnesium, calcium, and potassium.