"AVOCADO": The Ultimate Health Food
Avocados are a rather special fruit. Most fruits are made up mainly of carbohydrates, but avocados are rich in fat instead. Many studies show that avocados are packed with health benefits. So how exactly are avocados good for you?
#Avocados Are Incredibly Nutritious
The avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree, known scientifically as Persea americana. It is highly nutritious and can be used in all kinds of dishes, thanks to its great flavor and smooth, soft texture. Avocado is also the main ingredient in guacamole.
These days, avocados have become hugely popular among health-conscious people, so much so that they're often called a “super food”. That's no surprise, since avocados are full of benefits.
There are many varieties of avocado, each with its own shape and color, from pear-shaped to round and from green to black, weighing on average about 220 grams to 1.4 kilograms each.
The most popular variety is the Hass avocado, which is often called an “alligator pear”. It's a very fitting name, since this variety is pear-shaped, with bumpy, pitted green skin like an alligator's hide. The yellow-green flesh inside is the part that gets eaten, while the skin and seed are thrown away.
Avocados are highly nutritious and contain a wide range of nutrients, including more than 20 vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of avocado contains these key nutrients:
- Vitamin K: 26% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Folate: 20% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
- Potassium: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
Avocados also contain many other important minerals, including magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc and phosphorus, plus vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
100 grams of avocado provides 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat. Although avocados contain 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of that is fiber, leaving only 2 grams of carbs, so they count as a low-carb plant food. Avocados contain no cholesterol or sodium and are low in saturated fat, which is why they're such a popular fruit. However, some experts believe these substances are harmful to health, and this is still a matter of debate.
#Avocados Have More Potassium Than Bananas
Potassium is a nutrient most people don't get enough of each day. It helps maintain conditions inside the body's cells and performs various important functions. Avocados are very high in potassium: 100 grams provides as much as 14% of the recommended daily intake (RDA), compared with 10% of the RDA in bananas.
Several studies show that a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure, and blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
#Avocados Are Rich in Heart-Healthy Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
Avocados are a high-fat fruit. In fact, 77% of their calories come from fat. But most of that fat is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the main component of olive oil and has many health benefits.
Oleic acid helps reduce inflammation, which has a beneficial effect on genes linked to cancer. The fats in avocados are also fairly resistant to oxidation caused by heat, which makes avocado oil a healthy and safe choice for cooking.
# Avocados Are Rich in Fiber
Fiber is another nutrient found in large amounts in avocados. It can't be digested, and it can help with weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of many diseases.
The difference between soluble fiber and insoluble fiber is that soluble fiber feeds the friendly bacteria in our gut, which are important for how the body works. 100 grams of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, or 27% of the recommended daily intake (RDA), of which 25% is soluble fiber and 75% is insoluble fiber.
#Eating Avocados Can Lower Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels
Heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in the world. It's known that several blood markers are linked to a higher risk of the disease, including cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammation, blood pressure and many others.
More than 8 studies in humans looking at the effects of avocado on various risk factors found that eating avocados can significantly lower total cholesterol, cut blood triglycerides by as much as 20%, lower LDL cholesterol by up to 22% and raise HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 11%. One of these studies found that adding avocado to a low-fat vegetarian diet significantly helped bring cholesterol levels closer to normal.
#People Who Eat Avocados Tend to Be Healthier
One study looked at the eating habits and health of people who eat avocados, using data from 17,567 people in the US NHANES survey. It found that avocado eaters were healthier than people who don't eat this fruit. They got far more nutrients and were only half as likely to have metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. People who ate avocados regularly also weighed less, had a lower body mass index (BMI) and much less belly fat, and had higher HDL levels too.
#Avocados Are Full of Powerful Antioxidants That Help Protect Your Eyes
Besides helping increase the absorption of antioxidants from other foods, avocados are themselves rich in many antioxidants, including lutein, carotenoids and zeaxanthin, which are incredibly important for eye health.
Research suggests these antioxidants help lower the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common in older people. So eating avocados benefits your eye health in the long run.
#Avocados May Help Prevent Cancer
Some studies suggest that eating avocados may be beneficial in treating and preventing cancer. Test-tube studies suggest avocado may help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy on white blood cells, and avocado extract has also slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells in the lab.
#Avocado Extract Helps Relieve Arthritis Symptoms
Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries, and it's often a chronic, lifelong condition. Several studies suggest that avocado and soybean oil extracts contain substances called unsaponifiables, which help reduce the inflammation and swelling of osteoarthritis, though they have no effect on bone degeneration.
#Eating Avocados Can Help You Lose Weight
Eating avocados helps us eat less and makes it easier to get into healthy eating habits. Avocados are also high in fiber and low in carbs, which makes losing weight easier.
Avocados are incredibly nutritious. Besides being good for your health, they taste delicious and can be used in all kinds of dishes. You can add avocado to salads or other dishes, or eat it fresh. Its creamy, smooth texture goes really well with all sorts of dishes. Guacamole uses avocado as its main ingredient, mixed with salt, garlic, lime and other ingredients that vary from recipe to recipe.
Source: healthline.com
