Healthy Diet: The Wonderful Avocado’s Health Benefits

I was introduced to avocados in my twenties when I first moved to Florida. Living in Miami, co-workers and friends often had fruit trees in their yards. Seasonally bags of oranges, grapefruit and avocados would be brought to work and distributed. Florida avocados are much bigger than Hess avocados, and friends taught me how to make guacamole from my gifts. We would make a big bowl and sit with guacamole and chips while watching a Dolphin’s game on Sunday. Great fun.

Several years ago when I first started attempting to increase my consumption of plant-based dishes, I read about the wonders of the avocado. I now think of it as an almost perfect food. It contains almost 20 vitamins and minerals and a substantial amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.  Avocados are probably the fattest plant food in existent as 77% of the its calories are from fat. But the fat is not the same as the fat in roast beef – Alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and oleic acid are its key fats.  They are a good source of pantothenic acid, dietary fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. They have no sodium and very little cholesterol or trans fat. They have compounds like phytosterols, carotenoids, flavonoids.

The addition of avocado to already well-balanced diets has been shown to lower risk of heart disease, improve blood levels of LDL, and lower levels of oxidative stress in the bloodstream following consumption of food. In one particular research study, participants in two groups all consumed a diet with the same overall balance, including 34% fat in both groups. But one avocado per day was included in the meal plan of only one group, and that was the group with the best heart-related results in terms of blood fat levels. 

An avocado contains 2 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs but 7 of those are fiber, another healthy ingredient. According to the Department of Internal Medicine and Nutritional Sciences Program of the University of Kentucky, high fiber intakes are associated with significantly lower risks of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increased fiber intake has also been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and enhance weight loss for obese individuals. 

The anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are perhaps its most valuable attribute, and between the wide range of phytochemicals, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty alcohols, and omega-3 fatty acids, avocados are one of the best foods for reducing the inflammation in tissues, joints, and muscles.

Avocados are most beneficial when eaten raw. The easiest way to eat avocados is to add them to your favorite salad. Avocados go well with cucumbers and tomatoes. They are exceedingly tasty with citrus fruit. I have had them in a green salad with orange sections and a light vinaigrette. I have added them to a green salad and made a lemon or lime salad dressing. Try slicing them and making a sandwich with your favorite bread or tortilla. I use toasted brown rice tortillas with sliced avocados, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Add an avocado to your green smoothie to ramp up its nutritional load. Avocados can be substituted for butter when baking reducing your bad fat intake but still adding creaminess to your baked good. Garnish your favorite soup with avocado slices. There are many great avocado recipes on the internet – have fun and explore the tasty options.

Resources:

12 Proven Benefits of Avocados, authoritynutrition.com

Avocados, whfoods.com

Avocados: Health Benefits, Nutritional Information, medicalnewstoday.com

Health Benefits of Avocados, organicfacts.net