Considered a high-quality dessert nut because of its rich, buttery flavor, macadamia nuts are a popular treat and a trendy import in countries like China and the United States.

大眾認為它是種高品質的甜點用堅果，因為它豐富濃郁的味道。夏威夷果是很受歡迎的點心，是中國和美國的新興進口物。

A one pound bag can cost around $25, which is almost twice as much as other nuts, like almonds, and they've been breaking price records year after year.

一磅袋裝的夏威夷果要價 25 美元，這幾乎是其他堅果類的兩倍，例如杏仁，而且夏威夷果的價格每年都破紀錄。

But why are macadamia nuts so expensive?

但是為什麼夏威夷果這麼貴呢？

The main reason is the slow harvesting process.

主要原因是緩慢的種植過程。

While there are 10 species of macadamia trees, only two produce the pricey nuts.

夏威夷果樹有10種種類，只有兩種是有價值的堅果。

And it takes 7 to 10 years for the trees to even begin growing the nuts.

而且這些樹需要 7 到 10 年，才能開始長果實。

The flowering trees originated in Northeastern Australia, and the nuts were eaten by the Australian aboriginal people.

開花的樹源自澳洲東北方，澳洲的原住民會食用這種堅果。

They called the trees "Kindal Kindal," but British colonists eventually renamed them macadamia after Dr. John Macadam.

他們稱這些樹為「Kindal Kindal」，但英國殖民者最終以 John Macadam 博士之名，重新命名為夏威夷果 (Macadamia)。

Despite originating in Australia, macadamia trees were first commercially grown in Hawaii.

儘管夏威夷果樹源自澳洲，它們最早因商業而種植的地方卻是夏威夷。

Hawaii has the perfect climate for the trees.

夏威夷的氣候非常適合這種樹生長。

They need lots of rain, rich soil, and warm weather to thrive, which means regions that don't meet those requirements have to import macadamia nuts all the way from places like Hawaii, South Africa, Latin America, or Australia.

它們需要大量的雨水、豐饒的土壤以及溫暖的天氣才能茂盛。所以沒有這些條件的地區，就必須從其他地方進口夏威夷果，像是夏威夷、南非、拉丁美洲或澳洲。

And because it takes the trees anywhere from four to six months to flower, the nuts all mature at different times of the year.

因為各地的夏威夷果樹需要 4 到 6 個月才能開花，而果實的成熟期為一年當中不同時間。

They're only harvested five to six times a year, typically by hand.

它們一年只收成 5 到 6 次，一般是手工採收。

Their thick shell, often removed before sale, makes it difficult to tell the ripe nuts from the unripe ones, making the harvesting process more work-intensive and costly.

它們厚重的外殼通常在上市前就被移除，因為厚殼讓人難以分辨果實是否成熟，這也導致採收的過程時間更緊迫、成本更高。

Macadamias have become increasingly popular because of their high fat content.

夏威夷果越來越受到歡迎，因為它們富含油脂。

With 20.9 grams of fat per pound, they contain more fat than any other nut, which is why people used to think macadamia nuts were unhealthy.

每磅夏威夷果含有 20.9 克的油脂，比其他任何堅果還要多，這也是為什麼過去人們認為夏威夷果不健康。

In reality, the majority of that fat is 100% cholesterol free, and contains palmitoleic acid which can improve your metabolism and help your body maintain healthy levels of insulin.

事實上，這些油脂大部分為 100% 無膽固醇並含有棕櫚油酸，可以改善代謝狀況，並讓你的身體中胰島素維持在健康的程度。

Each nut is made up of 80% oil and 4% sugar.

每顆果實都含有 80% 的油脂以及 4% 的糖。

The high fat and low sugar content makes macadamia nuts ideal for many healthy eating and weight loss programs, including the keto diet, which cuts carbs while emphasizing good fats.

這種高油脂低糖的組成讓夏威夷果成為很多健康飲食，和減重計畫的理想選擇，包含生酮飲食，減少碳水化合物的攝取並強調好的油脂。

Last year, the price of macadamias broke records again.

去年夏威夷果的價格又破記錄了。

In Hawaii, nut-in-shell macadamias started the season with their highest net farm value ever, at 100 cents per pound and ended the season with a new record high of 110 cents per pound.

在夏威夷，帶殼的夏威夷果產季開始時，農產淨值是有史以來最高，每磅 100 分，而產季結束時又有更高的紀錄，每磅 110 分。

The farm value on Hawaii's macadamia crops is estimated to be worth $53.9 million.

夏威夷果對夏威夷農業價值，預估佔五千三百九十萬美元。

Meanwhile, countries like China, who import them on a massive scale, are now working on growing their own harvest because of how valuable the nuts are.

同時，有些國家，例如中國進口大量夏威夷果，正努力自行種植夏威夷果樹，因為這種堅果太有價值了。

However, for the time being, the demand for macadamia nuts outpaces the supply, which drives up prices.

然而，隨著時間流逝，夏威夷果供不應求，而導致價格提升。

But the global macadamia supply is expected to increase, thanks to countries like China planting macadamia trees.

但全球夏威夷果的產量應該會增加，因為有些國家開始種植果樹，例如中國。

Now, China is set to produce half of the global macadamia crop by 2022.

現在，中國的夏威夷果產量預計，可以在 2022 年達到全球一半。

Exporters worry that a bubble in the global macadamia industry is about to burst.

專家擔心夏威夷果產業的泡沫化快要爆發了。

If that happens, macadamia nuts may no longer be the most expensive nuts in the world.

如果真的發生，夏威夷果可能不再會是世界上最貴的堅果。