We’ve all heard the age old quote, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Now we say, “an avocado a day keeps the doctor away, forever!” and here are 5 reasons why.
1. Avocados Won’t Make You Fat
Fast food, chips, soda, white bread…those are all things that will make you fat, avocados…not so much. Avocados actually contain monounsaturated fat and, like olive oil, a high preponderance of oleic acid – this is a good fat and a beautifying oil. Oleic acid is gaining a reputation (through the Mediterranean Diet) as helping to keep us slim as we age. Oleic acid is also believed to decrease our chances of developing heart disease.
2. Curbs Hunger
If you find yourself constantly snacking, avocados can help change that. Studies have shown that meals that include avocados and other good fats cause you to feel full, taking away the need to eat more. Because they consist mostly of healthy fatty acids, they produce a blood-sugar, friendly, ketogenic effect. So the next time you reach for a bag of chips, go for the avocado instead.
3. Packed With Nutrients
You already know that avocados are good for us, but, what’s actually inside of it that makes it such a healthy treat. Well, for starters, there are typically over 14 minerals packed inside each one. Each avocado also contains:
• 18 essential amino acids (protein) and 2 grams of protein per 100 grams of avocado.
• Soluble fiber.
• Phytosterols: beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol that may help keep arthritic and other forms of inflammation under control.
• Carotenoids: Avocados contain an unusually high amount of antioxidant, oil-soluble carotenoids. These include: o-carotene, yellow alpha carotene and yellow lutein, but also many lesser-known carotenoids including yellow epsilon-carotene, yellow neochrome, yellow neoxanthin, yellow chrysanthemaxanthin, orange beta cryptoxanthin, orange zeaxanthin, and yellow violaxanthin.
• Chlorophyll: This is what gives avocados their wonderful green glow. Chlorophyll is a deodorizer, detoxifier, and neutralizer of toxins.
• Polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs): These are more widely prevalent in ocean plants but fairly unique among land plants—making the avocado tree (and its fruit) unusual in this regard. Like the avocado’s phytosterols, its PFAs also provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits and skin protection from ultraviolet radiation.
• Vitamins: B (folic acid), C, E
4. Can Be Added To Many Meals
Avocados are awesome because they can be used to turn ordinary meals into super meals. Mash up some avocados and boom, you’ve got guacamole. Throw a few avocado slices on some hempseed or chia-seed gluten-free bread or raw cracker and you have a tasty snack. You can place avocados on top of almost any food.
Avocados are great with sea salt or nearly any form of seaweed. Their high potassium content is balanced by the high sodium content of sea salt and seaweeds. Avocados are also wonderful in salads. More recently avocados have made their way into smoothie recipes. Of course, no guacamole is possible without its key ingredient.
Can you say delicious?
5. Long-Term Health
So not only do avocados have tons of nutrients and are very delicious, but they also will benefit your health in the long run. Those good fats will help keep your blood sugar levels in check, your good cholesterol at optimum levels and can neutralize inflammation in the brain and body all while being a great energy source. What a replacement for meat and cheese.
However, one question remains: can you eat an avocado pit? The answer is yes, but they are less than excellent and not recommended.
Disclaimer: This website is for information purposes only. By providing the information contained herein we are not diagnosing, treating, curing, mitigating, or preventing any type of disease or medical condition. Before beginning any type of natural, integrative or conventional treatment regime, it is advisible to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.
