KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii >> Federal regulators have approved a Hawaii macadamia nut company’s request to claim the nuts can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease under certain circumstances.

West Hawaii Today reported Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval comes two years after deliberation began.

Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Inc. can now claim that “supportive but not conclusive research” shows that eating 1.5 ounces per day of macadamia nuts might reduce the risk of coronary heart disease if eaten “as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and not resulting in increased intake of saturated fat or calories.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states coronary heart disease is the country’s leading cause of death in men and women.