Luxury has many facets. For example, someone buys the most expensive cars, someone buys the best jewelry, some indulge in luxurious outfits, and others - exclusive travel. But there are gourmets whose purpose in life is to try all the most unusual and expensive dishes in the world. Fans of gastronomic delights must definitely try macadamia - the most expensive nut in the world.
Botanical Description
Macadamia is an Australian nut or kindal. The first plant was described by the German scientist Ferdinand Muller, who devoted most of his life to the study of Australia. A nerd found on a smallest mainland a previously unknown plant that the natives called mullimbimbi or kindal-kindal. F. Muller described an amazing nut and named it "Macadamia" in honor of his friend and colleague chemist J. Macadam. Soon, this name was strengthened everywhere.
This dicotyledonous plant belongs to the Proteus family, the genus includes 5 species, only 2 of them are cultivated. It prefers slightly acidic soils, well-drained and rich in organic matter. The tree grows up to 15 meters high. The leaves of the plant are very large, leathery to the touch. It blooms with small white, cream or pink flowers, which are collected on a long drooping inflorescence resembling a corncob. During flowering, the trees emit a very delicate, slightly sweet aroma.
The most expensive nut begins to bear fruit in the 8-10th year of life, and ceases when it reaches 100 years of age. The fruits of the plant are small nuts only 1.5-2 centimeters in diameter, have an almost perfect spherical shape. Ripen from March to September.
The natural pollinators of macadamia are bees, which also make wonderful honey out of flower nectar - fragrant and healthy.
Chemical composition
We continue to talk about the most expensive nuts. Macadamia has a unique chemical composition:
- Fats - polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated, up to 75 grams per 100 grams of product. At the same time, the average calorie content of nuts is 200 kcal.
- Carbohydrates - 14 grams per 100 grams of product.
- Proteins - 7.9 g per 100 g of the product, including 12 essential amino acids (arginine, valine, leucine, lysine, tryptophan and others) and 8 essential (alanine, glycine, aspartic acid, serine, etc.).
- Vitamins: tocopherol, group B, folates, niacin, ascorbic acid and some others.
- Macro- and microelements: zinc, iron, selenium, sodium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, etc.
The presence of essential oils rich in vitamins B and PP significantly increases the value of macadamia.
Benefit and harm
These most expensive nuts, photos of which are in the article, are very useful:
- Improve the cardiovascular system.
- Cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol plaques.
- Contribute to the normalization of weight.
- Improve the condition of the skin, nails and hair.
- They are a powerful oncoprotector.
- Normalize blood sugar.
- Oil promotes rapid skin regeneration, heals wounds.
However, the most expensive nut should not be eaten by those who are allergic to hazelnuts and peanuts.
Where it grows, how it is mined
The birthplace of macadamia is Australia. Aborigines considered this nut sacred. Until the beginning of the 20th century, this plant was not found anywhere else on the planet. When Europeans began to develop the mainland, then this unusual fruit was almost the only currency when trading with the local population.
Today, this plant is successfully cultivated in tropical latitudes - in Brazil, South Africa, California, and Hawaii. Interestingly, Hawaiian plantations already occupy an area of about 100 square meters.
The tree is unpretentious, grows in the lowlands and on hills at an altitude of up to 750 meters above sea level. It tolerates temperature extremes, does not die even with extremes for the tropics +3 ... + 5 degrees Celsius. However, it does not tolerate strong winds blowing from the ocean.
Previously, these nuts were collected manually. But given the height of the tree and the fact that the fruits are kept on the branches very tightly, one worker per day could collect 120-150 kilograms of fruit. In the mid-20th century, they invented a machine with a productivity of up to 3 tons of crops per day! Thanks to this, macadamia production has expanded significantly.
Where is used
The most expensive nut in the world (macadamia) is widely used in cooking. Fruits taste like hazelnuts and hazelnuts, but have a special sweet aftertaste. Large whole nuts are fried, sprinkled with salt, or glazed with chocolate. This delicacy in itself is very tasty, but connoisseurs say that macadamia should be consumed with sherry - Spanish fortified white grape wine that reveals and emphasizes the taste of nuts, or with Arabic coffee.
Small or crushed nucleoli are added to salads, seafood dishes. They also crush oil, which is a very valuable dietary product.
Macadamia is used in medicine. From these nuts, medicines are made for osteoporosis and arthritis, hypovitaminosis, tonsillitis, as well as a means to slow the growth of tumors, cleanse the body of toxins, and remove "bad" cholesterol. Macadamia oil is used to treat burns.
Nutritionists advise using this most expensive nut for weight loss, as it normalizes fat metabolism and metabolism in the body. To lose up to 7-10 kilograms per month, it is enough to eat 10-12 nucleoli per day instead of one meal.
The most expensive nut will return youth and beauty
The uniqueness of the nut lies in the fact that it contains monounsaturated palmitoleic acid, which is present in human skin, but practically does not occur in other plants. Another feature: macadamia vegetable fat is very similar in composition and properties to mink fat. It has powerful antioxidant properties.
For these characteristics, the most expensive nut is highly appreciated by cosmetologists. Macadamia oil is used in the manufacture of luxury skin rejuvenation products.
Milled kernels are recommended for use in home cosmetology for the preparation of face masks. Walnut oil can be rubbed into the scalp for hair growth and health.
Walnut price
How much is the most expensive nut in the world? Even in his homeland, in Australia, where 80% of macadamia is produced, a kilogram of unrefined fruit costs $ 30-35. The wholesale price of a nut in Europe reaches $ 150 per kilogram, depending on the grade of the product.
Why are macadamia fruits so expensive? Firstly, the unique composition and amazing properties of this nut are highly appreciated. Secondly, due to difficulties in harvesting. Thirdly, due to limited production: if peanuts are harvested 50 million tons per year, then macadamia - only 100 thousand tons, that is, 500 times less!
The most expensive nuts in the world: top 10
If you make a list of the most expensive nuts in the world, for Russians it will look like this:
- 10th place - walnut. Price - 3 dollars / kg.
- 9th place - hazelnuts. This healthy treat costs an average of $ 5 per kilogram.
- 8th place - Brazil nut. Loved by many for their usefulness and original taste. Price - 6 dollars / kg.
- 7th place - chestnut. This nut is widely used in medicine in the treatment of various diseases of the veins and costs $ 7 per kg.
- 6th place - almonds, 8-8.5 dollars per kg of product. Bitter almonds, which have a rich aroma, are especially appreciated in culinary and perfumery.
- 5th place - cedar. This is a delicious nut, which is found in pine cones - the fruits of Siberian pine. A kilogram of these nuts costs $ 10.
- 4th place - cashew. The price per kilogram is around $ 12.
Now describe the three leaders. In third place in terms of value are pistachios, the cost of which ranges from $ 15 per kilogram of goods. The first many millennia ago they began to cultivate Persia and Ancient Greece. Today, pistachios are the favorite delicacy of millions of people, and in China the fruits are called "happy nuts". In addition to the wonderful taste, they have a whole list of useful properties.
Pecan comes second, a nut from North America. It is a universal product: it is used in the preparation of any dishes, including salads, desserts, pastries. Very tasty are the liquors infused on the kernels of this nut. You will have to pay up to 22 dollars per kilogram. After macadamia, these are the most expensive nuts in Russia.
The gold medal, of course, belongs to macadamia, which is described in detail in the article.
What nuts grow in Russia
Peanuts, hazel, pine nuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts are harvested in Russia . Some of them were mentioned above, now we will tell a little about Greek.
Do you know that the familiar nut that grows in the southern regions of Russia and resembles the human brain in all of us is the most useful in the world? Our ancestors knew about this and successfully used it in the treatment of various diseases - tonsillitis, intestinal disorders, stomatitis, dermatitis. It is believed that if you eat several walnuts every day, the body will grow stronger, be filled with energy and strength, memory will improve, the mind will brighten, diseases will recede.
Which is the most expensive nut, you know, and which is the cheapest? This is peanuts or peanuts (an average of 1.5 dollars per kilogram of product). Moreover, its value cannot be denied for both the food and chemical industries.
Now you know what the most expensive nuts are: macadamia, pecans and pistachios. The most useful and at the same time inexpensive - walnut. Cheaper than peanuts.