Macadamia nuts and macadamia oil are healthy springtime essentials, perfect to have on hand as get you out of your winter ugg boots and into your hiking boots!

After a cold and wet winter many of us are looking forward to warmer temperatures, increased daylight hours and sunshine. Spring can be a time of renewal and a chance to kick-start positive habits. With their antioxidants, good for you fats and plant-based power, macadamias are the perfect food for the season.

Here are seven reasons why you’ll be eating more macadamias this spring:

1. Macadamias are an exercise essential

Spring is a fantastic time to exercise outside. From physical fitness to mental health, the benefits of fresh air, sunlight and stepping away from the concrete jungle to spend time in nature are endless. With so much natural beauty in our country, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors, but we’ve highlighted our three favourite day hikes here.

While you are out, keep your energy levels up by packing lots of healthy hiking snacks. Macadamia nuts or a macadamia trail mix are a great choice as their healthy fats give a long-lasting energy boost. They also contain fibre, protein and essential nutrients to help enhance performance and recovery. Plus, they are extremely portable and great for munching on the go! Don’t forget to pack at least 2 litres of water per person.

TLDR: Macadamia nuts are a portable, healthy snack, perfect for during exercise and to provide an energy boost on the go.

2. Macadamias are a spring skin superfood

Has winter skin got you down? Don’t panic! Macadamias are a simple solution to help achieve  a springtime glow. You can use macadamia oil to create your own nourishing skin treatments or use it on its own as a lightweight skin moisturiser for all skin types. Rub macadamia oil into your hands, nails and cuticles to soothe and smooth them as well as soften any rough patches on your hands, elbows and feet.

Eating macadamias can also do wonders for your skin and hair as they contain useful amounts of the antioxidant manganese, essential for your skin to produce the collagen it needs to stay plump and wrinkle free. They are also high in palmitoleic acid to help replenish your skin’s youthful glow.

TLDR: Whether you use the oil on your skin or eat them regularly, macadamias can help bring a healthy springtime glow to your skin.

3. They chase bad moods away

We now have a large body of evidence that shows what we eat has an impact on our mood. Nuts contain fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which have essential roles in many aspects of brain health. Eating nuts regularly is linked to better cognitive function, reduced risk of depression, better mood, and enhanced memory. So if you want to double down on the natural positive-energy boost spring gives, you’ll definitely be ditching the junk food and grabbing a healthy handful of delicious macadamias.

TDLR:  Skip the high sugar comfort foods and enjoy snacking on macadamias this spring. This good mood food will leave you genuinely feeling better.

4. Macadamias make picnics perfect and are festival favourites

Spring is picnic and festival season so delicious, portable recipes and snacks are essential at this time of year. Whether you are headed to a flower festival or jazz jam, a large family get-together or an intimate picnic, you need food that is easy (and safe) to transport. But a picnic hamper also needs to make an impression, taste delicious and satisfy everyone’s hunger.

Macadamias themselves are so moreish that a simple container of plain or roasted nuts is a crowd-pleasing addition to your picnic basket. But you can go a step further and incorporate them into picnic dishes. Macadamia, pumpkin and blue cheese tartlets or macadamia and cheese biscuits or a macadamia dukkah are great choices. For something sweet, melt and mix chunky macadamia and fruit slice or macadamia and white chocolate muffins work well. Have we convinced you yet?

TLDR: Macadamia nuts are an essential inclusion when creating your picnic or festival hamper.

5. Macadamias are an immunity booster

As we leave our winter hibernation and get out and about in the world, we can be more exposed to colds, flus and viruses. Having a strong immune system will protect us from disease and infection.

While no one food or activity holds the key to preventing illness, what we eat plays an important role in keeping us healthy. Nuts are an essential part of a healthy diet. Macadamias contain many key nutrients which help contribute to the good health that supports immune function. These include zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and folate. So along with sleeping well, exercising often, managing your stress and limiting your alcohol intake, a healthy diet full of nuts is the perfect springtime immunity booster.

TLDR: People who eat a well-balanced diet (this includes nuts like macadamias) tend to be healthier with stronger immune systems.

6. They are local and lovely

Spring is a time to renew our everyday habits as well as our physical ones. As we get out into nature, or even just our community we can be inspired to think about how we can make the best choices for the planet! That’s where buying local food becomes really important. It benefits us by making sure we have access to super-fresh foods, but it’s also a great choice for the environment, the local economy, and, as the cost of living goes up, your bank account too.

Macadamias are a native Australian tree nut and 99% of the macadamias you see in the shops and supermarkets are grown right here in Australia. Plus by buying Australian you are supporting Australian growers and farmers.

TDLR: Almost all of the macadamias sold in Australia are produced right here, so they are a great local food choice this spring.

7. Macadamias feed your future self

In springtime, we are often focussed on getting fit for the short term, but macadamias aren’t simply a delicious, healthy snack right now, they also have long term health benefits. Macadamias contain plant sterols and antioxidants that have a beneficial impact on cholesterol levels and blood pressure. They also contain copper, magnesium and manganese that aid in the maintenance of healthy neurotransmitters in the brain.

There is a growing body of evidence showing that nuts, when included as part of a balanced, mediterranean-style diet, benefit heart, brain and gut health. And, of course, we are just beginning to understand the connections between all these systems and how they support a long and healthy life.

TDLR: Macadamias are the perfect snack for good health in both the short and long term.