Avocados are a unique fruit. Yes, they are a fruit and one of the few fruits that is low in carbohydrates, packed with healthy fats and other nutrients. However, are avocados all they’re talked up to be?
The health industry goes back and forth about what’s healthy and what’s not. One year we’re blaming fats for contributing to the obesity epidemic, the next we’re blaming sugar and carbohydrates. As usual, the truth lies somewhere in between the two extremes. I’ll give you the real story about avocados!
Avocados contain 20 vitamins and minerals per serving. These include potassium, lutein, and folate. They are also low in sugar and contain fiber. The combination of healthy fats and fiber will help fill you up and keep hunger at bay for hours after eating. The B vitamins in combination with vitamins C and E can also play a role in cancer prevention.
Health benefits of avocados
Avocados have various health benefits, they;
- Contain more potassium than bananas
- Help lower cholesterol
- Increase nutrient absorption
- Contain eye-protecting antioxidants
- Contain high amounts of fiber
High in potassium
Avocados are very high in potassium. A single serving of avocado (100g) contains about 15% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of potassium. Many people are lacking potassium in their diet. It plays a critical role in the body, especially in relation to hydration.
Lower cholesterol
Several studies have shown that avocados can help to significantly reduce total cholesterol levels, lowering blood triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol while increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Increase nutrient absorption
Many fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, can be better absorbed in the presence of avocado due to its high healthy fat content. This makes avocados a great addition to salads or salsa.
Eye-protecting antioxidants
Avocados are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, which are very important for the health of your eyes. Lutein and zeaxanthin can be credited with helping to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Over the long term, avocados are greatly beneficial to overall eye health.
So why do people think avocados are bad for you?
Avocados are high in healthy fats but that doesn’t mean you should eat them in abundance. After all, healthy fats are still fats. Eating too much of anything, even if it’s healthy, can still result in weight gain. Yes, when it comes to food, you can have too much of a good thing!
Avocados add a lot of flavor to other foods and contain many nutrients that your body needs. Try a sliced avocado on your salad or even mixed with scrambled eggs. You won’t be disappointed with the flavor, and your body will thank you for giving it all those useful nutrients.
What’s your favorite avocado recipe?
