Eating macadamia nuts for 15% of your daily calories boosts a healthy fat called palmitoleic acid in your diet and in your blood, showing your body is actually using the good fats from the nuts.

What we've found so far does not support the idea that eating macadamia nuts as 15% of daily calories increases levels of palmitoleic acid in the blood. Our current analysis shows the evidence leans against this claim. We reviewed one assertion claiming that consuming macadamia nuts at this level raises blood levels of palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid found in the nuts [1]. However, the evidence tied to this claim shows 0 studies supporting it and 60.0 assertions refuting it. Because the balance of evidence we've reviewed is entirely on the side of refutation, our analysis does not find support for the idea that this dietary change leads to higher blood levels of palmitoleic acid. It’s important to note that just because we haven’t found evidence supporting this effect doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It means that, based on what we've reviewed so far, the data do not back this specific outcome. Our understanding could change as more research becomes available. Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated fat that some studies have linked to metabolic health, but whether eating macadamia nuts at this intake level meaningfully changes its concentration in the blood remains unsupported by the evidence we’ve analyzed. Practical takeaway: If you're eating macadamia nuts for their healthy fats, that can still be part of a balanced diet — but don’t count on it raising palmitoleic acid in your blood based on what we know right now.