The Benefits of Avocado

Avocado is a pear-shaped fruit filled with nutrients. The term avocado refers not only to the tree but also to fruit. There are hundreds of diverse avocado varieties. And the tree is part of Lauraceae, a family of flowering plants. Technically the fruit itself is a berry containing one large seed.

Avocados are satisfying and versatile food with a creamy buttery texture although they are not sweet. And from the high fat content, they have a rich flavor.

The avocado is a fairly special fruit. Although primarily carbohydrate is the majority content of the fruit, avocados are rich in healthy fats. Several studies have shown significant health benefits.

Avocados are stone fruits that thrive in warm climates, it has a creamy texture. Its potential health benefits include improved digestion, reduced risk of depression, and cancer protection.

Avocado also called the alligator pear or butter fruit is the only fruit that provides a significant number of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). The avocados contain approximately 20 vitamins and minerals, which are common to nutrient-dense food.

Nutrition Facts: What’s in an Avocado?

A one-half or 68 grams of avocado contains these nutrients, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

Calories: 114
Dietary fiber: 6 g
Total sugar: 0.2 g
Potassium: 345 milligrams (mg)
Sodium: 5.5 mg
Magnesium: 19.5 mg
Vitamin A: 43 micrograms (μg)
Vitamin E: 1.3 mg
Vitamin K: 14 mg
Vitamin B-6: 0.2 mg
Monounsaturated fatty acids: 6.7 g

All in all, avocados have quite a bit of potassium, dietary fiber, and fats. According to the Dairy Council of California, avocado oil alone is nearly two-thirds or 71 percent monounsaturated fatty acids or the good fats proven to lower LDL, or bad cholesterol and increase in HDL, or good cholesterol. This significant content provides a variety of health benefits.

The Benefits of Avocado

Avocados are healthy for the heart

Avocados contain a natural sterol of plants, called beta-sitosterol. Regular beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols have been found to maintain healthy and stable cholesterol levels. Avocado can lower the risk of developing a cardiac disease. Research published in 2015 has shown that eating one avocado a day as part of a moderate-fat, cholesterol-lowering diet has decreased LDL or bad cholesterol.

Aside from being a safe bet for patients with high blood pressure, avocados are also a good source of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats that help keep the heart safe and lower the risk of stroke. Eating avocado can also control levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in the blood.

Cardiac disease is the world’s most frequent cause of death. Several blood markers are considered to be related to an elevated risk. This includes cholesterol, triglycerides, signs of inflammation, blood pressure, and various others.

Eight monitored human studies have looked at the impact of avocado on some of these risk factors.

Such studies have shown that avocados can do:

Significantly reduce total cholesterol levels.
Reduce up to 20 percent of blood triglycerides.
Up to 22 percent lower LDL cholesterol.
Increase up to 11 percent of HDL or good cholesterol.

Avocado helps regulate blood pressure

Avocados will do wonders to keep the blood pressure levels under control too. Avocados are a rich source of potassium and are low in sodium, which helps to maintain steady blood pressure. Healthy blood pressure helps avoid the inevitable risk of stroke or heart attack.

Avocado has anti-inflammatory properties

Avocados are abundant in anti-inflammatory properties that aid in relieving arthritis. It is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids helping to lubricate joints and further alleviate joint pains. According to DK Publishing’s book ‘Healing Foods,’ “The fats of this fruit are special, including phytosterols, plant hormones such as campesterol, beta-sitosterol, and stigmasterol, which help keep inflammation under control. It also contains anti-inflammatory polyhydroxylated fatty acids (PFAs).”

Avocado may improve your eyesight

The inclusion of avocados in your diet will help to boost your eyesight. Avocados are filled with beta-carotene and eye-enhancing antioxidants. It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which help to preserve good vision, night vision and reduce ultraviolet light damage. Also, the high level of vitamin A helps to minimize the risk of developing macular degeneration with old age. In avocados, monounsaturated fatty acids tend to properly absorb beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants, such as beta-carotene as well.

Avocado May Help Prevent Cancer

There is considerable evidence that avocado can be of benefit in treating and preventing cancer. Sufficient intake of food folate showed promise for colon, stomach, pancreas, and cervical cancer protection.

While the mechanism behind this apparent risk reduction is currently unclear, researchers believe that folate during cell division protects against unintended mutations in DNA and RNA.

Test-tube studies indicate that it may contribute to minimizing side effects in human lymphocytes from chemotherapy. It has also been shown that avocado extract prevents the development of prostate cancer cells within a laboratory.

Bear in mind, however, that these studies were conducted in isolated cells and do not necessarily prove what can happen inside individuals. The research focused on human subjects is not available.

Avocados are a good source of folate

For a healthy pregnancy, folate is extremely necessary. Sufficient consumption reduces the risk that neural tube defects and miscarriages will occur. Pregnant women must include avocado in their diets as folate contributes to the healthy growth of the fetus.

Moreover, several studies have shown that the risk of depression decreases due to folate. Folate prevents homocysteine formation. This substance tends to impede circulation and nutrient delivery to the brain.

Avocado may lower the risk of depression

Foods with high levels of folate can reduce the risk of depression by helping to prevent the formation of homocysteine, which can affect circulation and nutrient delivery in the brain.

The development of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine that control mood, sleep, and appetite can also be disrupted by excess homocysteine.

Avocado helps improve digestion

Avocados are filled with fibers that can avoid constipation, improve digestion, and improve the health of the colon. Fiber adds bulk to the stool, thereby improving digestion, making bowel normal. In fact, avocado is high in fiber with about six to seven grams per half of the fruit despite its creamy texture.

Eating natural fiber foods can help to prevent constipation, keep the digestive tract healthy, and decrease the risk of colon cancer.

Avocados are rich in nutrients

Avocados are filled with good, beneficial fat that keeps you satiated and whole. Your brain receives a signal to turn off your appetite when you are using fat. The consumption of fat slows carbohydrates down, which helps to maintain blood sugar stable.

For each individual cell inside the body, fat is important. Eating good fats improves skin health, increases absorption, and can also help improve the immune system of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Avocado is a natural detoxifier

Sufficient fiber facilitates regular bowel movements which are essential to the regular excretion of toxins by bile and stool. Recent findings have shown that dietary fiber can also help control the immune system and inflammation.

Avocado may help promote weight loss

Avocados can help you lose weight by trying to keep you full longer and feeding fewer calories. There is some evidence that avocados are friendly food for weight loss.

Those who consume avocado with a meal were 23 percent more satisfied in one study and had a 28 percent lower urge to eat in the next 5 hours relative to people who did not eat this fruit.

If this goes in the long term, it will help you consume fewer calories and make it easier for you to stick to healthier eating habits, like avocados in your diet.

Avocado benefits for weight loss. The high fiber content in avocado could also help you lose a pound or two. 100 Grams of avocado produces seven grams of fiber. Fiber takes the longest time to digest. It creates the feeling of fullness that prevents you from overeating later. Avocados are also very low in terms of carbohydrates, which also helps to reduce weight.

Avocado benefits for hair

Avocado oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids that nourish and reinforce hair follicles yet at the same time supplying moisture to shine. The scalp and hair shafts absorb phytosterols and vitamin E to improve growth while protecting it from damage and dryness.

Avocado also supports the development of hair. If your hair doesn’t grow like it used to or looks like a lackluster, you might be deficient in nutrients. So it’s time to feed a fruit on your hair that bursts with vitamins B and E.

Does avocado have downsides?

They pose very few dietary risks in addition to their health and beauty advantage part from allergenic concerns, if a person is trying to lose weight, he can only worry about eating too much of the fruit.

Calories and fat are high in avocados. And if you’re worried about bodyweight, you may want to restrict how much you eat. A little bit can go a long way.

If you are susceptible to migraines or allergic to latex, then avocado might not be for you. Certain foods, conditions, or environmental factors can cause episodes for those who suffer from migraines.

The avocados appear in lists of such foods sometimes because when overripe, they contain a high level of tyramine, a substance that forms when the proteins collapse. Furthermore, avocado includes some of the same latex allergens. And you would want to check and see if avocados are causing the same symptoms if you have a latex allergy.

3 varieties of avocado

Hass

A medium-sized variety with a thick, dimpled green skin that becomes purple-black once ripe. It has smooth and creamy flesh. It is the most popular variety worldwide.

Fuerte

Fuerte has smooth and bright green skin, longer and thinner than Hass, that easily peels if the fruit is ripe. The color of the flesh is lighter but creamy as the Hass.

Pinkerton

The Pinkerton is generally larger than its cousins and has just begun its premiere on grocery store shelves. Its skin is slightly lighter than the Hass but very thin, it is also shaped like the Fuerte, but more creamy.

How to Eat Avocado

Avocado ‘s uniqueness is that it is so flexible and has numerous flavors. Avocado is the ideal mix, sweet and savory, heavy or mild, you name it. Try and taste these simple recipes for this lovely green fruit.

Seasoned

Sprinkling avocados with a tablespoon of salt and pepper is the easiest way to taste.

Certain seasonings like paprika, cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar, and citrus juices can also be used. A simple way to season avocado with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper, and salt is to break it into chunks and drizzle it.

Stuffed

Try to incorporate avocados into your breakfast if you are looking for more nutrient-dense morning meals. One approach is to fill the portion of avocado with one egg and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the egg is white. You may also use crumbled, cooked bacon to cover the avocado and season it with fresh herbs and spices.

Also, you can use other ingredients as a replacement for eggs such as fish, chicken, vegetables, and fruit.

On toast

Regular spreads such as butter and margarine can be replaced by avocados.

The use of puréed avocado on a toast and sandwich also add additional vitamins and minerals.

Grilled

Grilled avocados, in particular for barbecued meats, can also become a good sideline.

Just cut in half the avocado and remove the seed.
Drizzle the halves and spray with olive oil and lemon juice. Place on the barbecue and cook 2 to 3 minutes on the cut side.
Then add salt and pepper or some other seasoning of your choosing.

Smoothies

Smoothies can be a perfect replacement for a meal or snack. Avocado with green, leafy vegetables such as cabbage or fruits such as banana, or berries can be combined. Plus, consider adding protein powder, Greek yogurt, or milk for a protein-packed drink.

Blend the following for a quick smoothie: