The first time I visited Hawaii (before I moved here) I ate about a can of macadamia nuts per day. It made me feel sick but I couldn't help it. As an East Coaster I had never had any nuts that good. It was almost like dessert, so rich, simultaneously soft and crunchy (go figure). My body said, this must be bad for you. Of course, back then we were just starting to figure out that all oils are not created alike and mono-unsaturated oils are actually pretty good for you. UH research has, over the years, found that moderate consumption of these extremely high calorie nuts is a good thing. Now here comes some Penn State research that even strongly supports mac nut consumption. I wonder, however, whether they mean the kind covered in chocolate or with toffee are just as good for you? Sigh. Oh, wait. The study was, in fact, supported by the Hershey Company, which owns Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts, the largest producer of mac nuts in Hawaii. And the subjects were eating 1.5 ounces per day. What? That's like eight nuts. Damn, I guess mac nuts are still pretty bad for you, at least the way normal people at them. Munch, munch.

Image via the Nut Factory

—Alex, 05/14/07