Macadamias

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Macadamias

Macadamias (/mækəˈdeɪmiəs/), also known as Macadamia nuts, are a type of tree nut native to Australia. They are named after the Scottish-Australian chemist, teacher, and politician John Macadam.

Etymology

The term "Macadamia" is derived from the name of John Macadam, who was a colleague of the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller. Mueller first described the plant in 1857, naming it in honor of Macadam.

Description

Macadamias are small to large evergreen trees growing to 2–12 m (7–39 ft) tall. The leaves are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptic in shape, 6–30 cm (2–12 in) long and 2–13 cm (1–5 in) broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The flowers are produced in a long, slender, simple raceme 5–30 cm (2–12 in) long, the individual flowers 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long, white to pink or purple, with four tepals.

Nutritional Value

Macadamias are a rich source of Vitamin A, iron, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folates. They also contain moderate amounts of zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Macadamia nuts are free from gluten and are therefore a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas.

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