Effects of a macadamia nut enriched diet on serum lipids and lipoproteins compared to a low fat diet

Macadamia nuts are a native Australian food rich in the monounsaturated fats, oleic acid and palmitoleic acid. A monounsaturated fatty acid-rich diet (MD), enriched with macadamia nuts (40% energy as fat, 20% energy from macadamia nuts) was compaared with a high-complex-carbohydrate diet (HC) for effects on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels. Subjects (7 female, 7 male) between 25 and 59 years of age were randomly allocated either to MD followed by HC, or vice versa. Each dietary phase lasted 4 weeks. Both diets lowered serum cholesterol by 7.9% (p<0.01) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) by 10.7% (p<0.01) compared with baseline values. The MD led to a 20.9% decrease in serum triglyceride levels (p<0.01). Triglyceride levels were not affected by HC. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) decreased 13.1% with HC (p<0.05). MD and HC were equally effective in lowering serum cholesterol and LDL levels, and MD unlike HC lowered triglyceride levels without affecting HDL levels.