Avocado is a delicious, green colored fruit having a spherical, pear or egg-shaped appearance. It is mostly cultivated in Mediterranean and tropical regions all around the globe. Farmers usually harvest the fruit before it ripens. Avocado, which is also termed as Avocado pear or Alligator pear, is a huge sized berry. It contains a big seed at the center, called ‘pit’ or ‘stone’. Avocado has high-fat content, which makes it a great substitute for other less accessible fatty foods.
Benefits Associated with Avocado
Avocado is a highly nutritious food with all the necessary dietary contents. Because of this reason, it is a much recommendable ‘superfood’ for diet conscious individuals. In total, an avocado contains fats, carbohydrates, sodium, dietary fiber, sugar, potassium, and folate. It also contains Vitamin B5, B6, K, C and E. Unlike other fruits, avocado has greater fat content and minimum sugar content. In addition, the fats it contains are monosaturated fats also termed as good fats. These assist the human body in antioxidant absorption and hinder muscle degeneration. Good fats also help the production of hormones and cell growth and development.
Research on Avocado
Besides these dietary contents, avocado is also rich in other useful plant compounds such as Persenones A and B, D-Mannoheptulose and Carotenoids. Persenones are antioxidants that help in avoiding various cancers and inflammations. Research shows that the D-Mannoheptulose is a blood sugar controller. Meanwhile, there is proof that Carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin decrease the probability of having eye-related disorders at an older age.
Avocados with their zero-cholesterol content are great in controlling body weight. These also help in lowering overall cholesterol level of the body because of their Phytosterols, which provide hindrance towards cholesterol absorption by the body.
It Has Vitamins
Vitamin C and K found in avocado fruit help in providing fresh and healthy skin, bone growth, and boosts the body immune system. Potassium found in avocado helps in boosting the cardiovascular system as it good for heart health. Another great benefit associated with avocados is that of avocado oil in reducing the arthritis pains and symptoms with its exceptional anti-inflammatory properties. Avocado is also a natural liver cleanser as it contains glutathione, which allows the liver to cleanse itself. Other than the few benefits mentioned above, avocados have a long list of useful aspects that mark it as a ‘must to consume’ dietary item.
Adding Avocado to Your Diet
One attractive aspect about avocados is that one can consume these in a variety of forms in our daily diet because of their deliciousness and versatility. Some of the best ways to incorporate avocados into your daily meals are as follows:
- Avocados can add worth to your salad by making it more mouth-watering as well as nutritious. You can add avocados as dressing to any green salad containing vegetables, fruits, cheese and shrimp and voila! A perfect salad with amazing taste is ready to eat.
- Avocadoes also make a delicious smoothie by blending it with banana, yogurt, and honey to taste. This makes a tempting breakfast item with all required calories.
- Meanwhile, if you are craving for a yummy dessert, then avocado brownies can serve as a great option.
- Avocado makes a perfect substitute for butter in baking brownies. The fruit will give the brownie an amazing creamy, fudgy texture with mouth-watering taste.
According to the research conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination, individuals who took avocado in their diet were healthier compared to the rest. In addition, they had less weight, lower BMI, and higher HDL level than those who did not add avocado to their diet. All of these aspects of avocado make it a perfect dietary item to live a healthy life, combined with other precautionary measures, and balanced lifestyle.