Anyone who has never tasted macadamia in shell is unlikely to be able to guess why an incision is made on its surface. However, this question is of interest to many. Some believe that the longitudinal hole in the shell is of natural origin. But those who have tried this Australian delicacy know for sure: the cut on the nut was not done by accident. Without it, it is impossible to crack a shell that is as strong as concrete.
Of course, you can take a hammer or a large stone and hit the nut with all your might. And then it will split. But in this case, only a wet place will remain from the core.
Therefore, macadamia goes on sale with an incision, and sellers put a special key in a bag of nuts, which must be inserted into the hole and turned with force. As a result, the shell cracks and the kernel is removed without much problem. In the store, the seller can show you how to open the nuts correctly.
But if the shell of the Kindal is so strong, then how do producers manage to make such even and neat cuts on each nut? To find out the answer to this question, you need to understand how the Kindal is collected and prepared for sale.
Macadamia history
Like many nuts, macadamia fruits ripen on trees. The tree begins to bear fruit 8-10 years after planting. Fruit ripening lasts 6 months. Wonderful trees are capable of producing nuts for up to a century.
The homeland of the plant is Australia. There, macadamia is considered a sacred tree.
Australian botanist von Müller was the first to describe the macadamia tree. He also came up with a name for the fruit. The botanist named the nut after his friend John McAdam.
Another botanist and director of the botanical garden, Walter Hill, was involved in the popularization of macadamia in 1858. He himself grew these nuts, and also sent seedlings around the world with the captains of the ships that arrived in Australia.
The macadamia tree produces fruits of various sizes. Large ones are fried or covered with caramel and glaze. Oil is made from small fruits, or eaten raw, added to salads and baked goods. Macadamia tastes like hazelnuts.
Growing features
For the cultivation of macadamia for industrial purposes, varieties are used that are suitable for close, compact planting.
Trees are propagated by planting seeds (nuts) or by grafting. Seeds sprout 3-6 weeks after sowing, and the first fruits may appear in 5 or even 10 years. Some grafted varieties begin to bear fruit after 2 years. The ripening period for nuts is 6-8 months. Pollination can be carried out artificially or naturally (by bees). This procedure is carried out no earlier than 1-2 years after planting the tree.
The nut is successfully cultivated in those regions where papaya, banana, mango, and avocado grow. In total, there are 9 varieties of macadamia that are suitable for industrial processing, and none of them tolerate temperatures below +3 ° C. For this reason, it is impossible to breed a king-nut in Russian regions with a warm climate, for example, Sochi or Crimea. In addition, parameters such as soil composition, moisture level, and many others are important for obtaining a good harvest.
The soil... The ideal soil for macadamia is sandy, but trees can grow in heavy clay soil as long as there is good drainage. The optimum acidity of the soil is 5.5-6.5. Plants do not like water and soil with a high salt content. Adequate amounts of zinc and boron are required for the normal development and growth of trees. When these substances are deficient, special fertilizers are used.
Choosing a landing site... Sunny places are selected for setting up gardens, however, in regions with too hot climates, partially shaded areas can be used. Macadamia does not tolerate strong winds, as it has fragile branches. Overloaded with heavy nuts, they break off easily even in relatively light winds.
Humidity... Although trees can tolerate short periods of drought, they have a negative impact on yields. Therefore, it is possible to grow a crop on an industrial scale only if the gardens are equipped with irrigation systems. Plants especially need sufficient moisture during the growing season, as well as during the formation of the nut shell and the fruits themselves. The frequency and intensity of irrigation depends on the level of soil moisture. Young trees need intensive and deep watering.
Air temperature... The ideal air temperature for macadamia is 16-25 ° C. Although trees can survive when temperatures drop below 3 ° C, they should not be considered frost-hardy. Young plants are less resistant to cold, therefore, in cold periods, they are covered with a film. For this purpose, a frame is installed around each tree, on which polyethylene or other protective material is placed. It is difficult to cover mature trees in this way, but they are more tolerant of cold weather.
Height above sea level... This indicator affects the quality and quantity of the crop. The location of the gardens at a level higher than 640 m above sea level leads to a slowdown in tree growth and a decrease in yields. However, some varieties, such as Mauka, Cau and Keau, are considered suitable for cultivation above 640 m.
Nut life cycle:
Pest control
Due to the humid climate, trees often suffer from anthracnose, fungal diseases, root rot, late blight. To avoid the development of diseases, farmers resort to preventive and therapeutic treatments with special preparations.
Common pests affecting macadamia are thrips, mites, nut grinders, beetle larvae, moths. Fetid beetles like to feast on the king's nut, which make the fruit unfit for consumption. Insecticides are used against insects that attack tree trunks and leaves. However, when pests penetrate into the fetus, such remedies are ineffective, since the drug is not able to penetrate the dense shell.
To minimize damage from nut damage, farmers use pest resistant varieties. Nuts damaged by stink beetles are discarded at the processing stage.
Pruning trees
The purpose of pruning is to form a tree with one main stem and a frame of horizontal branches 1 m above the ground. The distance between each frame is 30-45 cm. Pruning allows you to give the tree a compact shape, remove non-fruiting branches, improve the access of air and sunlight to all parts of the plant. Due to this, the yield increases and the possibility of a denser planting of trees to each other is ensured.
Composition and calorie content
Among the minerals in the nut, potassium and calcium are in the lead. The product is also rich in vitamins of group B. It contains vitamins C and E, as well as folic acid. Magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, as well as manganese with zinc are also found in nuts.The product contains copper and selenium.
Macadamia contains 700 calories per 100 grams of nuts.
Nutritious and healthy fruits have the following ratio of substances:
- Water - 1.5 g;
- Ash - 1 g;
- Protein - 8 g;
- Fiber - 8.5 g;
- Fat - 75 g;
- Carbohydrates 5 g.
Despite the high level of fat, macadamia promotes weight loss, as it removes cholesterol from the human body. Walnut can be a good prevention of heart and vascular diseases.
There are clear benefits to humans from moderate consumption of the nut, but dogs do not tolerate the nut well. From him, they develop muscle weakness, death may occur, so it is worth hiding the royal nut from your pets.
Useful properties of macadamia
What is the healthiest nut in the world capable of? Royal fruit helps in the following situations:
- Weakens the manifestations of migraines;
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease;
- Reduces the risk of cancer, slows down aging;
- Strengthens bones, relieves the initial stage of osteoporosis;
- Regulates the activity of the central nervous system, reduces anxiety, relieves depression;
- Helps to get rid of diseases of the genital and urinary tract, increases potency;
- Promotes an increase in the elasticity of blood vessels with varicose veins;
- Restores the body after stress and heavy physical exertion;
- Heals joints, vitamin deficiency and arthritic manifestations;
- Removes poisons, heavy metals from the body;
- Regulates hematopoiesis and the immune system;
- Protects against parasites in the body;
- Speeds up metabolism and other beneficial processes in the body;
- Reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients;
- Due to vitamin B, it participates in lipid metabolism.
It is difficult to imagine that any other nut was capable of all of the above.
Macadamia in cosmetology and dietetics
Hypoallergenic macadamia oil is widely used by cosmetologists in their practice. It is included in the composition of face masks, used as a mask for damaged hair. Indeed, nut oil contains almost 80% of unsaturated fatty acids, which are close in composition to those in the human body.
Macadamia is able to fight cellulite, scars, dermatitis and similar skin ailments. To cleanse the face, grind the nut in a blender, mix with sour cream and honey, and then massage the face with the mixture. To moisturize, the nut is combined with applesauce and lemon juice. Oatmeal, yolk, or kefir in macadamia oil can soothe irritated skin.
Nutritionists believe that macadamia should be included in the diet of workers in hazardous industries, people who are malnourished by diseases, athletes and, in moderation, those who lead a healthy lifestyle.
If earlier the walnut was harvested by hand, now it is harvested by a special machine that can process 3 thousand tons of walnut in 8 hours.
Product contraindications
The fruits of the Australian curiosity have a high calorie content and fat content, so they should not be consumed in large quantities, you can get liver and digestive problems.
People with low blood pressure should be careful when eating royal fruits, as they lower a person's blood pressure. In order to organically fit the product into the diet, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of other fats.
Individual intolerance is also an obstacle to eating macadamia. Otherwise, this nut in moderation is only beneficial.
Why is there a gap or crack on the nut?
Often people are interested in whether they cut the nuts on purpose or they sawn them themselves, by nature. Ripe macadamia nuts are round in shape, 15-2 cm in diameter and caramel brown in color and do not have a cut or cut at all. From 7-11 pieces ripen on one long stalk. The kernel is separated from the shell with difficulty, at home it is problematic to do this without damaging the delicate pulp. For the convenience of consumers, mechanical cuts are made on the shell, which make it easy to open the nuts.
Where can you buy king nuts?
In many countries, macadamia cannot be bought in a regular supermarket. It is best to look for valuable goods in special grocery boutiques, shops for vegetarians, and private shops.
The walnut can be ordered online, imported from a tour of Australia, or purchased from raw food stores.
If you are planning a large purchase of nuts, it is worth remembering that it is better to store the fruits in sealed containers in the refrigerator. Simply, under the influence of oxygen, the nut is oxidized.
The average price per kg of macadamia fruits starts from 1,500 rubles and more. The price tag depends on the manufacturer, the method of processing the fruits and their packaging.
Macadamia is a product that everyone should try at least once. Just 3-4 nuts a day can replace a whole multivitamin complex. With the help of this product, you can significantly improve your health, improve your appearance and try new exotic recipes in the kitchen. Royal nuts are worthy of all the praise and attention that they receive all over the world.
How the file is made
The calibrated nuts with a diameter of about 2.5 cm are re-dried. This is necessary so that moisture evaporates from the core inside. As a result, it will decrease in size and separate from the inner surface of the shell.
After that, a cut is made on the nut, without fear of damaging the kernel. For this, the dried nuts are loaded into a special machine equipped with tungsten carbide blades. This material is so strong that it can even saw through metal.
The machine is a compact device, in the upper part of which there is a small hopper, into which whole nuts are poured. After switching on, the machine starts to cut hard shells. The slotted macadamia is fed into the bottom of the machine, where it is collected in a large plastic box. As the container is filled, it is replaced with another, empty one. Thus, the process of sawing nuts occurs continuously.
Depending on the productivity of the machine, it can file 50-80 kg of nuts within an hour.
