Avocado Aficionado | Part I, Health Benefits
M Y A V O C A D O S T O R Y
Once upon a time I (like many) was wary and under appreciative of avocados. As a fat-rich fruit (yes it’s a fruit!), all I thought it brought to the table was excess calories, which would equate to weight gain. What a simplistic point of view that was!
Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and are packed with other wholesome goodies. They are an amazing alternative to animal products (meat contains mostly saturated fats). Avocados should be a staple in everyone’s pantry, especially those like me who adopt a primarily plant-based wholesome diet!
W H Y A V O C A D O ?
Avocado, also known as butter fruit or alligator pear (super cute name!), are higher in calories than other fruits but what they offer are completely worth it. I've created the label below to show you what 1/2 an avo has to offer. I trust you to do the math if you're eating a whole avo!
Data derived from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, in raw avocados (without skin), 86% California and 14% Florida varieties. Atwater factor used to calculate calories (kcal) from fat = 9 kcal/g of fat. Conversion of Vitamin E from IU (International Units) to mg used: mg/0.9 IU.
H E A L T H Y F A T S
Whilst all fats provide 9 calories per gram, mono- & polyunsaturated fats are associated to positive health benefits. Good news for you! Two-thirds of an avocado's fat is monounsaturated fat, and we got 1.8g of polyunsaturated fat too. These healthy fats help lower blood cholesterol, protecting our heart health. Essential polyunsaturated fatty acids i.e. Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids must be obtained from diet as your body cannot synthesis de novo. Guess what I'm about to tell you? Avocado is a good plant-based source of these fats! All of these healthy fats have been suggested to help control appetite by releasing hormones in the intestine that signal fullness. You can still eat avos when watching your waistline!
V I T A M I N S + +
RIch in Vitamins C, E, & K. A natural source of folate, perfect for prenatal women, to decrease the risk of foetal neural tube effects. A great source for other B vitamins (they are important for converting our food into energy).
A N T I O X I D A N T S
Look at the beautiful hues within an avocado, they are actually colors of function!
Yellow: Lutein & Zeaxanthin. These carotenoids are associated with protective effects on eye disease because they absorb damaging blue light that enters the eye. Orange: Beta-carotene, is converted into Vitamin A, also plays an important role in your eye health, as well as your immune system. Green: Chlorophyll.
N U T R I E N T B O O S T E R
The fat available in avocado allows the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A , D, E & K, as well as antioxidants alpha-, beta-carotene & lutein. Without fat, these nutrients cannot be absorbed.
So, add avocados in your salad to enhance absorption of what your other veggies have to offer!
D I E T A R Y F I B R E
High in dietary fibre. 1 avocado provides more than half the amount of fibre needed per day. That means it's going to fill you up, facilitate healthy bowel movement & stabilise blood sugar.
P O T A S S I U M
It has higher in potassium than banana (per 100g)
L O W I N S U G A R + S O D I U M
It is one of the few fruits that is low in sugar AND sodium.
I hope this helped you understand why everyone's crazy about em' avocados. Enjoy an avo for me! I will demonstrate ways to choose, prepand store avos on my next posts. Meanwhile, feel free to ask any questions. Have a blessed week!
tee xo