While macadamia nuts are believed to be "little butterballs," a group of Penn State researchers found that, in moderation, these nuts can actually lower cholesterol levels.

"It's unsaturated fat, so it lowers cholesterol and that's why nuts are good for you," said Penny Kris-Etherton, professor of nutrition and co-author of the study's findings. "They're low in bad fat and high in good fat."

Lisa Wandel, associative director of Penn State Food Services, said the Penn State dining commons recognizes the health benefits of macadamia nuts; however, they do not have the funding to offer them.

"The prices have prohibited us from offering them in the dining commons," she said. "We do offer walnuts, almonds and peanuts. Macadamia nuts would be great; they're delicious, but they're just too expensive."

Because of a lack of research on the topic, Kris-Etherton, Amy Griel and other researchers decided to study the effects of macadamia nuts relative to walnuts, pistachios, peanuts and other nuts, Kris-Etherton said.

The study was 10 weeks long and involved putting participants on heart healthy diets that incorporated macadamia nuts in small portions, Kris-Etherton said.

"You can design a diet that has fatty acid profiles with a lot of different fats and you will get a certain expected response. But with nuts, you get a greater response than can be predicted by profiles, and that's what's neat," she said.

The only way macadamia nuts could be available to students on campus would be in a convenience store where students were willing to pay for them, Wandel said, adding a new store in Waring Commons may offer such options.

"You might see them in the store coming in West called Sisu where they are offering healthy things," she said. "There's going to be a really awesome peanut station but as of now there isn't much demand for [macadamia] nuts." Bioactivity factors in macadamia nuts cause a cholesterol lowering response that is usually 25 percent greater than what is expected based on a profile, Kris-Etheron said. Kris-Etherton is hopeful her research will make people more open to eating macadamia nuts. "Macadamia nuts are really good, but you can't eat too many. If you can moderate intake either by putting them on a salad, eating them as a snack or in a chicken or fish dish, that is ideal," she said. "A lot of people think that fats are bad,, but that's not the case. Bad fats are bad and good fats are good."