Anabolic Freak

QUESTION: I noticed that you’re a huge fan of macadamia nut oil and have many of your athletes on it. Why is this, and how much do you recommend taking each day?

ANSWER: Macadamia nut oil has the highest concentration of monounsaturated fats (oleic acid) than any other available oil. In fact, it’s considered the gold standard for helping to reduce inflammation. Macadamia nut oil is so high in monounsaturated fats (84%-85%) that it even surpasses extra virgin olive oil (65%-74%). How about this interesting fact: Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate an equal balance (1:1 ratio) of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). Junk food, rampant vegetable oil use, and the feeding of grain to animals (even fish) have resulted in our current consumption ratios rising to a scary 20:1 ratio. What’s the best source of EFAs that delivers an equivalent amount of omega-6 to omega-3 fats? Flax seed oil, you might suggest. The answer is a resounding NO! Flax seed oil, while a healthy source of omega-3 fats, has a very low percentage of omega-6 fats. Macadamia nut oil has the perfect ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids: 1:1. With regard to cooking, macadamia nut oil has an extremely high smoke point (410 degrees), which means it’s more stable than other oils and excellent for stir-fry and baking. Olive oil has a much lower smoke point (325 degrees or less), and it degrades when used in cooking. Finally, macadamia nut oil has a sweet buttery taste, is resistant to oxidation, and is extremely high in vitamin E (four times higher than olive oil) making it the ideal hearthealthy, performance enhancing, fat.