A brilliant green fruit with a huge pit and dark leathery skin; the avocado is a great snack. Alligator pears and butter fruit are other names for them. Avocados are a produce section favorite. For guacamole dips, they’re a must-have ingredient. They may be found in anything from salads to wraps to smoothies and even brownies. So, what makes this pear-shaped berry (yep, you read it correctly!) such a superfood?
The Beneficial Nutrients Found Inside
Avocados are high in calories. The suggested serving size is smaller than you might think: 1/3 of an avocado (medium) (50 grams or 1.7 ounces). One ounce contains 50 calories. However, monounsaturated fat is a “healthy” fat that can help lower bad cholesterol if consumed in moderation.
In a 100-gram serving, you get:
- 485 milligrams of potassium
- 81 micrograms of folate
- 0.257 milligrams of vitamin B6
- 10 milligrams of vitamin C
- 2.07 milligrams of vitamin E
Avocados have a low sugar content. They also include fiber, which helps you feel fuller for extended periods of time. In one study, those who ate a half of a fresh avocado with their lunch were less hungry for the next three hours than those who didn’t. This makes it not only nutritious, but a healthy weight-loss go-to.
The Benefits to Your Health
A good diet and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent and reverse disease. Avocados are a nutritious item to include in your daily (or every other day) health regimen. Avocados include vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that help your body stay healthy and avoid conditions including:
- Cancer. The folate you obtain from avocados may lower your risk of certain cancers, such as prostate and colon cancer. Nutrients in avocados may also aid in slowing cancer progression.
- Arthritis and osteoporosis. Studies on oil extracts from avocados show they can reduce osteoarthritis symptoms. The vitamin K in avocados boosts your bone health by slowing down bone loss and warding off osteoporosis.
- Depression. Research shows a link between depression and low levels of folate. Folate helps block the buildup of a substance called homocysteine in your blood. Homocysteine slows down the flow of nutrients to your brain and ramps up depression. The high levels of folate in avocados may help keep depression symptoms at bay.
- Inflammation. Chronic inflammation can kick off many diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and arthritis. The vitamin E in avocados lowers inflammation in your body.
In regard to general bodily processes, avocados help with:
- Digestion. Avocados are packed with fiber. They’re especially high in insoluble fiber, which is the kind that helps move waste through your body. Fiber keeps you regular and can prevent constipation.
- Blood pressure. Avocados are rich in potassium. Potassium helps level out your blood pressure by lowering sodium levels in your blood and easing tension in your blood vessel walls.
- Heart. Most of the healthy fat in avocado is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. This heart-healthy fat helps lower cardiovascular inflammation. Avocados also have a nutrient called beta-sitosterol, the plant version of cholesterol. Beta-sitosterol helps lower your cholesterol levels.
- Vision. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two antioxidants in avocados that are good for your eyes. They help protect the tissues in your eyes from UV light damage and help prevent both cataracts and macular degeneration.
- Pregnancy. You need at least 400 micrograms of folate a day during pregnancy to help prevent birth defects in your baby’s brain and spine. One avocado gives you around 41% of that.
How to Eat an Avocado
Avocados should be stored at room temperature, as they can take up to 4-5 days to ripen. Put them in a paper bag with an apple or banana to speed up the ripening process. They’re ready to eat or refrigerate when the outside skins are black or dark purple and succumb to light pressure.
Before cutting, wash them to prevent dirt and bacteria from being passed from the knife to the pulp.
While guacamole is the most popular method to eat avocado, you can also puree it and combine it with spaghetti, use it as a butter or oil substitute in baked goods, or spread it on sandwiches.
Keep in mind that not all avocado dishes are created not creating equal, especially when dining out. Avocado fries and avocado egg rolls, for example, are battered and fried, resulting in a much higher calorie and fat content (along with some unhealthy nutrients added).
Watch for Allergies if Your Body isn’t Avocado-Familiar
If you’re allergic to latex, see your doctor before including avocado into your diet. Avocado can trigger symptoms in people who have a severe latex allergy. This condition is also known as latex-food syndrome or latex-fruit allergy.
Latex is manufactured from the sap of the Brazilian rubber tree, which contains a protein (Hevea brasiliensis). Avocados have a protein that is extremely similar to the one that causes the allergic reaction. Your signs and symptoms could be minor or severe.