Peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts and Brazil nuts can be found anywhere in the world. But macadamia is still not only one of the rarest nuts, but also the most expensive. Today we will talk about an unusual plant native to Australia. 
Macadamia fruits The fruits of the macadamia plant are considered sacred among the aboriginal population of the continent and in the local language they are called kindal, or mullimbimbi. The plant got its botanical name - macadamia - thanks to the German botanist Ferdinand von Müller, who explored Australia in the 19th century. And the word itself is a derivative of the surname Macadam, which was worn by Muller's friend, a famous chemist and physician of those times. 
Blooming macadamia Macadamia is a plant of the Proteaceae family, reaching a height of 15 meters. The tree has a spreading crown and blooms with pink racemes, and fruiting occurs at the age of 7-10 years. The fruits of this plant are formed as a result of pollination of flowers by bees and reach only 2 centimeters in diameter. The shell of the nut is very strong, and it is almost impossible to open it without auxiliary devices. Nut factories have special machines that cope with this difficult task. Well, the nuts that go to retail in the shell have a special incision that simplifies the procedure. Macadamia - the most expensive nut in the world and, perhaps, the most delicious Macadamia fruit on the tree The first Europeans who arrived on the continent were amazed at the unusual taste of this nut. Macadamia was exchanged with the natives for valuable goods, and it was considered an incredibly rare and delicious delicacy in Europe and America. For a long time, Australians harvested macadamia by hand, which took a very long time. For this reason, and also because of its amazing taste, macadamia was a very expensive product. But in the 70s of the XX century, Australian farmers began to plant entire plantations of nuts, and also invented a special machine that speeds up and facilitates the process of collecting nuts. Today, about 40,000 tons of macadamia are grown annually on the continent, which is slightly less than half of the world's production of this nut. 
Macadamia plantation But macadamia is valued not only for its taste, but also for the useful substances contained in the fruit. It contains palmitoleic monounsaturated fatty acid valuable for the body, essential oils, vitamins B and PP, as well as a lot of fats with antioxidant properties. Fat obtained from macadamia fruits is highly valued in cosmetology. 
Today macadamia is no longer exclusively an Australian plant. This tree is cultivated in many tropical regions of our planet where there are fertile soils.
Macadamia grows wild in Australia. A total of nine species of this plant have been described, but only two varieties produce edible fruits. In culture, varieties of whole-leaved macadamia are most often grown. This is a medium-high (up to 15 m) evergreen tree with a compact crown and dense leathery leaves. Nuts grow in fairly large clusters, each of which has several dozen fruits. The macadamia shell is very strong, its thickness is about three millimeters. The diameter of the edible core is up to 15 mm.
The high price of nuts is due to several factors.
- Limited area of growth. Although macadamia has been introduced to many countries with suitable climates, it is grown commercially mainly in Australia. There are also plantations of this tree in Hawaii, Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand. But Australia is still the largest supplier of macadamia in the world market (about 40,000 tons of nuts per year).
- Low product yield. Macadamia nuts give a small kernel yield. From a kilogram of unpeeled fruits, only 250-350 g of kernels are obtained.
- Complexity of processing. The macadamia shell is very strong and does not separate well from the kernel. Therefore, even when cleaning on special machines, some of the kernels split and crumble.
Macadamia tastes like hazelnuts, but the kernel is more tender and oily. Nuts (per 100 g of product) contain more than 75 g of fat, about 13 g of carbohydrates and 7 g of protein. Macadamia contains a full group of B vitamins, as well as large amounts of potassium (368 mg per 100 g), phosphorus (188 mg) and magnesium (130 mg). Nuts have antioxidant properties, remove cholesterol from the body, and are considered a good prevention against cancer. Macadamia oil is used as a cosmetic. It is easily absorbed into the skin, moisturizes and softens the skin.
In Australia, macadamia is widely used in cooking. The kernels are eaten fresh (slightly salted). Whole large nuts are roasted and then covered with icing sugar or caramel. Nut crumbs are added to chocolate pralines, and they are also seasoned with seafood dishes.
Nuts and macadamia oil have no side effects on humans. The only contraindication to their use is individual intolerance to the product.
Pecan
Pecans are the fruit of the Hazel Illinois tree, which is native to the southern states of North America. Kariya is a tall (up to 50 m), sprawling deciduous tree. Fruits-nuts are collected in bunches of 5-10 pieces. The shape of the nuts is oblong, rounded. Their length can reach 8 cm. The skin of the peeled kernel has a pleasant brown color, the flesh is beige, oily with a characteristic sweetish taste, slightly reminiscent of almonds.
The USA is the largest supplier of pecans to the world market. This tree is grown in California, Georgia and other southern states. In Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, large areas are occupied by natural tracts of Illinois hazel, from which nuts are harvested on an industrial scale.
Pecans are very high in calories. The peeled kernel (per 100 g) contains more than 70 g of fat, about 14 g of carbohydrates and 10 g of proteins. Pecans are rich in vitamin A (56 mg per 100 g), potassium (410 mg), phosphorus (277 mg), magnesium (121 mg). Due to their high calorie content, even a small amount of these nuts satisfies hunger well. Doctors note that pecan helps relieve chronic fatigue syndrome, improves overall tone, and improves appetite. There are no negative effects from eating pecans. But you should not abuse this delicacy. A large number of fatty nuts can cause heaviness in the stomach, indigestion, diarrhea.
The uniqueness of these nuts lies in the fact that in an unpeeled form they can be stored for years without losing their taste and nutritional properties. And water-refined kernels (due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids) go rancid rather quickly.
Pecans are eaten raw or fried, added to ice cream and other desserts, and used in the preparation of fillings for pies and cakes. From its kernels, a delicious edible oil is obtained, which is ideal for dressing vegetable salads.
pistachios
Pistachio is a low multi-stemmed tree or shrub of the sumac family. It grows well in regions with a subtropical climate: the Mediterranean, East and Central Asia, in the north of the African continent. The plant easily tolerates short-term severe frosts (up to -20 degrees) and prolonged drought. Pistachio fruits are small, from 0.8 to 2 cm long, collected in clusters. After full maturation, the nut shell partially cracks, revealing the kernel.
100 g of peeled pistachio kernels contain up to 45 g of fat, 27 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of protein. Pistachio is rich in vitamins A, B4, B9. But the main beneficial properties of pistachios are determined by the presence of phytosterols in them. These substances lower cholesterol levels and also prevent prostate and breast cancer. Regular consumption of pistachios will help to cope with stress, contribute to the normalization of the cardiovascular system. But people with a tendency to allergic diseases should use these nuts with caution. Pistachios can provoke an exacerbation of allergies. Do not use pistachios for people suffering from kidney disease, indigestion.
Pistachios are the only nuts that can be roasted and salted without removing their shells. Salted roasted pistachios are the perfect snack for beer or wine. These nuts are very popular in the confectionery industry. Ice cream is made from pistachios, they are added to the dough for cakes and cookies, they are used to prepare the filling for baklava and other oriental sweets. The price of these nuts on the Russian market is quite high. Despite the high cost, today's demand for these nuts is not decreasing.
Cashew
In a strictly scientific definition, cashews cannot be called a nut. It is actually the fruit of a tree called Anacordium occidentalis. Anacordium is a low evergreen tree, reaching up to 7 m in height. The cashew fruit has an unusual appearance. "Nut" grows on the top of a fleshy stalk, which becomes reddish-orange when ripe. The pulp of the stalk has a pleasant sweet and sour taste, it is eaten raw, and also used to make jams and juices.
But the cashew nut can be eaten only after special processing. Perhaps this is the only nut that cannot be eaten raw. After all, between the seed and its hard shell is a caustic poisonous juice, which, if it comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes, causes severe chemical burns. Before being sent for sale, cashew nuts are carefully peeled from the hard shell, and then subjected to heat treatment until the toxic substances completely evaporate. Cutting seeds is done exclusively by hand and requires special skills. It is the complex processing technology that explains the high cost of cashews.
100 g of cashew contains about 43 g of fat, 30 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of protein. The vitamin composition of nuts is quite rich. 100 g of the product contains 61 mg of vitamin B4 (choline), 1.06 mg of vitamin B3 (niacin), 0.9 mg of vitamin E (tocopherol). The mineral composition of nuts includes a fairly large amount of selenium (19.9 mcg). Due to the unique vitamin and mineral composition, cashew normalizes metabolism, lowers cholesterol, strengthens the immune system. Doctors recommend using cashews as part of diets for psoriasis, metabolic disorders, and dystrophy. When used in moderation, this nut does not cause any negative effects on the body. The only contraindication is individual intolerance to cashews.
Cedar
"Pine nut" is the name of the fruits of the Siberian pine, which the researchers. at one time, mistakenly mistaken for the Lebanese cedar. Cedar Siberian pine is a majestic tree, reaching up to 45 m in height. Its distribution area includes Eastern and Western Siberia, Altai, Kazakhstan, part of the territory of China. Pine nuts are quite small (the maximum size is up to 9 mm in length). The color of the nucleolus is white, with a slight cream or yellowish tint. The taste is pleasant, sweetish, with noticeable coniferous notes.
The uniqueness of pine nuts lies in the fact that they are not grown on plantations, but are mined exclusively in natural conditions. The yield of Siberian pine forests is low. From 10 to 650 kg of nuts are harvested from one hectare. This is what explains the high price of the product.
100 g of pine nuts contains up to 60 g of fats (mainly mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids), 13.5 g of proteins, 13 g of carbohydrates. But the main nutritional value of nuts lies in the unique amino acid composition. The nuclei contain 19 amino acids, including essential ones. These are tryptophan, lysine, methionine, glycine, aspartic acid and others. Pine nuts will help make up for the lack of amino acids for those who follow a strict vegetarian diet. Siberian pine seeds are "champions" among nuts in terms of phosphorus content. There are 570 mg of this trace element per 100 g of product. Regular consumption of pine nuts is a good prevention of anemia, bone fragility, and certain types of cancer. But pine nuts often cause allergies. And in combination with meat products, they give a high load on the kidneys.
The most expensive nut in the world is macadamia. The cost in the historical homeland in Australia is estimated at thirty dollars per kilogram.
The most expensive nuts in the world: top 10
Today, wholesale companies in Russia offer a huge range of nuts and products made from them. Comparing these prices, one can easily understand which nut is the most expensive.
Wholesale prices for self-delivery (without value added tax) in descending order as of 01.12.2017 are given below.
- Macadamia from 2020 rub. per kg (peeled, unpacked) up to 3300 rubles. per kg (packed in one kg).
- Pine nuts 900 rub. per kg (peeled, vacuum packed, kilogram), in bulk in boxes from 800 to 950 rubles. per kg (depending on the year of harvest and manufacturer).
- Brazil nut 700 rub. per kg (peeled, vacuum packed).
- Pecan core 1080 rub. per kg.
- Walnut 1070 rub. per kg (halves) up to 570 rubles. per kg (cleaned, unpackaged).
- Pistachios 800 rubles per kg (peeled, fried) up to 400 rubles. per kg (raw, peeled).
- Cashew 800 rub. per kg (peeled, fried).
- Almond 580 rub. per kg (peeled, fried) up to 480 rubles. per kg (peeled, raw).
- Apricot kernels 260 rubles per kg (India), 195 rubles. per kg (Tajikistan).
- Peanuts 108-95 rubles. per kg (peeled, fried).
The above list ambiguously shows that macadamia is the most expensive nut in Russia, although its sales are small, since not everyone knows about it.
Macadamia is a traditional Aboriginal food.
Australia is recognized as the historical homeland of the most expensive nut. Aborigines picked them up after rains in clean grass. The fruits of the evergreen tree were valued by the inhabitants of Australia for their nutritional and medicinal properties, they used them as payment in kind, and they still treat this plant as sacred.
The names of the nut were pronounced as kindal-kindal, mullimbimbi, boomer.
The German biologist Ferdinand von Müller, who studied the nature of Australia, was the first among naturalists to describe the plant and named macadamia (after the chemist John Macadam, whom he considered his friend).
Nut fever in Europe and America
The unusual delicacy taste of macadamia was appreciated by spoiled Europeans and residents of the United States (trees were planted in Hawaii in the 19th century, when the islands were not yet the fiftieth state of the United States), although it was the most expensive nut. But Australian farmers were not able to import it in large volumes for two reasons: collecting the nut is very difficult (one person can collect no more than one hundred and fifty kilograms during a working day), the number of fruit-bearing trees did not meet the ever-increasing needs as a simple consumer for food, as well as the pharmaceutical industry.
A way out was found by the sixties of the last century, when the collection began to be done by machine (a device for selecting nuts was designed by Australian scientists).
Since that moment, the walnut business in Australia has gone uphill, investments in it have been made by many countries in Europe and America. Tree plantations were established, collection and processing were established, but the most expensive macadamia nut in the world did not become cheaper.
In parallel with the development of production in the historical homeland of Australia, many countries with a tropical climate planted their own plantations of these plants. Since that time, the most expensive macadamia nut has taken root in Brazil, the Hawaiian Islands (plantations have been increased), in South Africa and California. To date, its consumption is not decreasing, and the supply from manufacturers is growing from year to year.
How the Most Expensive Macadamia Nut Grows
From planting a tree to getting the first fruits, it takes time - about four to five years, the farm reaches its first commercial harvest by the seventh year, and the investment pays off in the twelfth year.
The annual cycle of the Macadamia plant in Australia looks like this:
- Tree flowering begins in August (this is spring for the southern hemisphere) and continues until September.
- Nuts are formed from flowers, only one or two percent bear fruit.
- In the spring, the nuts fill up, increase in size, and reach their maximum by the end of November and the beginning of December.
- In December-January, the shell begins to harden.
- Over the next two months, ripening takes place, oil accumulates in the nuts.
- From the end of March, for three to four months, the nuts begin to gradually fall, the peak of the process begins in June-July.
Harvesting and storing macadamia crops
Fallen nuts on farms are usually harvested every two weeks. Manual selection of the most expensive macadamia nut is not relevant today.
Harvesting equipment is either a special harvester or an attachment to a tractor. But in any case, segmented wheels with fingers (a kind of thickening) at the end serve as the main unit. During the movement, these devices capture the nuts, lift them, then feed them into the bunker.
The outer fibrous layer (not the hard shell) is usually removed by special devices before storage. This can be done either while harvesting the nuts (on a combine) or indoors.
Having accumulated the required amount of nuts, the farmer takes them for processing.
Plant care during the off-season
During July-August, trees are pruned with special saws to improve the passage of sunlight to all branches.
Mulching is carried out with the introduction of organic matter.
To combat caterpillars that penetrate inside the nuts, Trichogramma insects are used, which lay their eggs in already laid eggs by butterflies. This method of pest control (finding the right Trichograms, getting them to grow at the right time, making the insects available to farmers) was developed through a special program paid for by the macadamia nut processing industry.
This was done to reduce the amount of pesticides introduced, since the presence of undesirable elements worsens the quality of nuts, which in turn reduces the cost of purchasing the harvested crop.
Processing of macadamia nuts
Any product on earth has its own price, and nuts have it too. Since childhood, we remember the lines of Alexander Pushkin "... the core is a pure emerald." I wonder what was the cost of such “emerald” nuts with a golden shell. But let's return from the fairy-tale world to real life, and find out which nut is the most expensive in the world, as well as its botanical features and beneficial properties. About you can find out on our website site
The most expensive nut in the world is Macadamia.
To begin with, we will learn in more detail about this unique nut originally from Australia, and why it is called that.
Name
The natives of the Green Continent considered the plant and its fruits sacred, and called mullimbimbi, or kindal. In the 19th century, the German botanist and explorer Ferdinand de Müller arrived on the island, who was the first European to describe an Australian plant.
The German botanist had a friend who bore the surname Macadam, an outstanding chemist by profession and vocation. It was in honor of him that Muller named an unusual nut.
Botanical description
Macadamia is a woody plant from the large Proteaceae family that grows up to 15 m in height.
The leaves of the Australian plant are quite large and fleshy, and macadamia blooms with small flowers of pink, white or cream color. When the branches are covered with flowers, the air around is saturated with a delicate and sweetly intoxicating aroma.
The flowers are pollinated by a single species of bees, and the fruits ripen from March to October. The nuts are small, only 1.5-2 cm in diameter, and have an almost perfect ball shape, as you can see in the photos presented.
Useful properties and harm
The chemical composition of the expensive nut, which includes valuable microelements and vitamins, is also unique. The average calorie content is 200 kcal per 100 gr.
Doctors advise people with diseases of the cardiovascular system to take nuts. The product perfectly cleans blood vessels from cholesterol plaques, normalizes sugar levels.
Macadamia also heals wounds and improves skin condition. This nut is not recommended for people who are allergic to peanuts and hazelnuts.
How it grows and where it is applied
For a long time, nuts were harvested by hand, which greatly complicated the collection process. Only at the end of the 70s of the last century, entire groves of this branchy tree began to be planted in the open spaces of Australia, and engineers invented a machine for mechanical collection of fruits.
Initially, macadamia grew only within the smallest continent of the Earth, and today it is cultivated in the tropical zone, where soils suitable for growth are available.
These nuts are widely used in cooking, especially as a dessert. There are many recipes, but Europeans prefer to eat roasted and sprinkled with sugar or chocolate nuts with white Spanish wine. Add nuts to salads.
Pharmacologists include macadamia in the production of medicines, and nutritionists advise overweight people to use it, as they perfectly regulate the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
Unique properties
All nuts are useful, but kindal nuts contain monounsaturated palmitoleic acid, which is found in human skin. It is noteworthy that this trace element is not found in other plants.
This unique property is used in cosmetology for the manufacture of anti-aging products. So, a unique expensive walnut will return your youth and beauty, and women of fashion all over the world do not spare money for cosmetics, which contain extract and oil of this Australian walnut.
Price
The first Europeans arriving on the continent were amazed by the taste of the nut, and even then they exchanged this product with local tribes in exchange for valuables.
In Australia, where macadamia is actually cultivated, the price of nuts reaches $35 per kilogram. Reaching European shores, the price rises to $150 per kilogram.
The average person has a natural question, why are nuts so expensive? Firstly, the unique composition of the Australian walnut affects the price, and secondly, it is very difficult to grow and harvest it. Another factor in the high cost is its rarity, since only 100 thousand tons of valuable nuts are harvested per year, and this is incomparably small compared to the yield, for example, of peanuts or walnuts.
Other Record Breaking Nuts
And now it's time to introduce other varieties of nuts that hold the leading position in terms of price.
Pecan
In second place in terms of value is a native of North America with an original and unusual name pecan.
The universal nut is used by culinary specialists all over the world, adding it to various dishes, salads and when preparing desserts. The price of a pecan reaches $22 per kilogram.
It would seem that such a common product cannot be expensive, but, as you know, demand creates supply. Pistachios pay an average of $15 per kilogram.
An evergreen plant, on which unique fruits ripen, is found on all continents of the earth. Useful properties are widely used in medicine, and for many inhabitants of the earth this is a favorite delicacy.
The Chinese consider this nut to be lucky, which, according to Eastern philosophy, can bring wealth and prosperity to the house.
Cashew
The amazing fruit is also called the Indian nut, and it grows in the wide expanses of Southeast Asia, in Brazil, it is grown in Azerbaijan and Iran.
The shores of Latin America are considered to be their homeland, and the first sailors were fascinated by the taste of the juicy fruit. You can buy a kilogram of cashews for $12 and a little lower if you bargain.
This is not quite an ordinary nut, as it grows on the outside of the cashew apple, and therefore consists of two parts. TopCafe editors were very surprised by this fact. Did you know about such an unusual ripening of cashews?
pine nut
A valuable and healthy fruit of the cedar pine is valued at $10, and delicacies from it have been loved since childhood.
Among the Siberian expanses, the expression “take a break” is common, which means taking a break from work and clicking on delicious oily nuts. All other nuts came from distant countries, and only pine nuts come from Russia.
Pine nuts were highly valued even in the period of Antiquity, and in the houses of Pompeii destroyed by Vesuvius, archaeologists found the remains of this delicious fruit.
