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The Benefits of Avocados
For years, Avocados have been known as the “IT” fruit. You can use it to make guacamole, add it as an addition to your meal or smoothie, or even make ice cream out of it! But do you know why the fruit maintains it’s popularity? It’s not just it’s easy taste profile—avocados come with tons of health benefits!
Here are ten of them:
1. Avocados are Abundant in Nutrients
One avocado contains 160 calories,2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbs, 7 of those are fiber, so there are only 2 “net” carbs, making this a low-carb friendly plant food. Not only that, but avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium and are low in saturated fat.
Here are some of the most abundant nutrients, in an avocado:
- Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
- Folate: 20% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
- Potassium: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
It also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
2.Avocados have more Potassium than Bananas.
Avocados contain 14% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), compared to 10% in bananas, which are a typical high-potassium food.
3.They are High in Fat (the good kind!)
Avocado is a high-fat food. In fact, 77% of the calories in it are from fat, making it one of the fattiest plant foods in existence. This isn’t a bad thing— the majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid — a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been associated with reducing inflammation.
4.Avocados may Boost Brain Health and Memory.
Since the fruit is rich in oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that’s linked to improved cognition, the consumption of avocados may actually improve brain health and memory.
5.Avocados may Help Lower the Risk of Depression.
The high amount of folate in avocados has been shown to help maintain your brain’s feel-good chemicals, dopamine and serotonin. Studies also show that eating monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce depression, while balancing fat intake may help control depression.
6.They are High in Fiber.
Fiber is an indigestible plant matter that can contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of many diseases, and avocados are very high in fiber.
7.They are Good for your Eyes.
Avocados are packed with the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are incredibly important for eye health.Studies show that they’re linked to a drastically reduced risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common in older adults.
8.They are Good for your Bones.
Just one half of an avocado provides approximately 25% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin K. This nutrient is is essential for bone health,as it increases calcium absorption and reduces urinary excretion of calcium.
9.Avocados may Aid in Weight loss.
Studies show that people eating avocado with a meal felt 23% more satisfied, and they had a 28% lower desire to eat in the next five hours versus people who didn’t eat an avocado with their meal.
10.Avocados are Great for Pregnant women.
Avocados are high in folate and potassium (typically under-consumed in maternal diets) as well as fiber, monounsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants — all of which are tied to improvements in maternal health, birth outcomes, and quality of breast milk.
So, not only are the round-bellied fruits delicious tasting and easy to add to any recipe, they are extremely beneficial to your health as well! Don’t worry about the high fat profile—enjoy!
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado#section12