12 Proven Health Benefits of Avocados
Avocado is a rather unique fruit.
While most fruits are primarily made up of carbohydrates, the fruit is high in healthy fats.
Many studies show that it has strong health benefits.
Here are 12 avocado health benefits backed by scientific research.
1. Its fruit is incredibly nutritious
This fruit is valued for its high content of nutrients and is added to various dishes due to its good taste and rich texture. It is the main ingredient in guacamole.
These days, avocado has become an incredibly popular food among people who are health conscious. It is often referred to as a superfood, which is not surprising given its health properties.
There are many types of avocados that vary in shape and color – from pear to round and green to black. They can also weigh anywhere from 8 ounces (220 grams) to 3 pounds (1.4 kg).
The most popular variety is Hass avocado.
It is often called the “pear alligator”, which is very descriptive, as it tends to be pear-shaped and has green, uneven alligator skin.
The yellow-green flesh inside the fruit is eaten, but the skin and seeds are discarded.
The fruit is very nutritious and contains a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals.
Benefits of avocado
Here are some of the most abundant nutrients in a 100 gram serving:
Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
Fillet: 20% of the DV
Vitamin C: 17% of DV
Potassium: 14% of DV
Vitamin B5: 14% of BM
Vitamin B6: 13% of DV
Vitamin E: 10% of BM
It also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
This comes with 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 of them are fiber, so there are only 2 “pure” carbohydrates, making it a low carb diet.
Avocados do not contain cholesterol or sodium and are low in saturated fat. This is why they are favored by some experts who believe that these substances are harmful, which is a debatable issue, however.
SUMMARY:
Avocado is a green pear-shaped fruit often referred to as the “alligator pear”. It is full of healthy fats, fiber and various important nutrients.
2. Avocados contain more potassium than bananas
Potassium is a nutrient that most people do not get enough of.
This nutrient helps maintain electrical currents in your body cells and serves a number of important functions.
They have a very high content of potassium. A pack of 3.5 grams (100 grams) packs 14% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), compared with 10% in bananas, which are a typical high-potassium food.
Several studies show that high potassium intake is associated with lower blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
SUMMARY
Potassium is an important mineral that most people do not have enough of. Avocados are very high in potassium, which should support healthy blood pressure levels.
3. Avocado fruit contains important heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids
The fruit is a high fat food.
In fact, 77% of the calories in it are from fat, making it one of the fattest plant foods out there.
But they do not only contain fat. Most of the fat in avocados is oleic acid – a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the main ingredient in olive oil and is believed to be responsible for some of its health benefits.
Oleic acid has been associated with reduced inflammation and appears to have beneficial effects on cancer-related genes.
Its fruit fats are also resistant to heat-induced oxidation, making avocado oil healthy and safe for cooking.
SUMMARY
The fruit and its oil are high in monounsaturated oleic acids, a healthy heart fatty acid that is believed to be one of the main reasons for the health benefits of olive oil.
Fiber is another nutrient and its fruits are relatively rich.
It is a harmless plant material that can contribute to weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and is closely linked to a lower risk of many diseases.
A distinction is often made between soluble and insoluble fibers.
Soluble fiber is known to nourish the friendly gut bacteria in your gut, which are very important for the optimal functioning of the body.
One serving of avocado 3.5 grams (100 grams) contains 7 grams of fiber, which is 27% of the RDA.
About 25% of the fiber in avocados is soluble, while 75% is insoluble.
SUMMARY
Its fruits and berries tend to be high in fiber – about 7% by weight, which is very high compared to most other foods. Fiber can have significant benefits for weight loss and metabolic health.
5. Consuming it can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world.
It is known that several blood markers are associated with increased risk.
This includes cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, blood pressure and more.
Eight controlled human studies have examined the effects of avocados on some of these risk factors.
These studies have shown that avocados can:
Significantly reduce total cholesterol levels.
Reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%.
Lower LDL cholesterol up to 22%.
Increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol by up to 11%.
One study found that his behavior on a low-fat, vegetarian diet significantly improved his cholesterol profile.
Although their results are impressive, it is important to note that all human studies were small and short-term, including only 13-37 individuals lasting 1-4 weeks.
SUMMARY
Numerous studies have shown that eating avocados can improve heart disease risk factors such as total, “bad” LDL and “good” HDL cholesterol, as well as blood triglycerides.
6. People who eat avocados tend to be healthier
One study looked at the eating habits and health of people who eat their fruits on a daily basis.
Data from 17,567 NHANES participants in the United States were analyzed.
Avocado consumers were found to be much healthier than people who did not eat this fruit.
They had a much higher nutrient intake and were half as likely to have metabolic syndrome, a complex of symptoms that are a major risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.
People who ate avocados regularly also weighed less, had lower BMI and much less belly fat. They also had higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
However, the correlation does not imply a causal link and there is no guarantee that avocados caused the better health of these people.
Therefore, this particular study does not carry much weight.
SUMMARY
A nutritional study found that people who ate avocados had much higher nutrient intake and a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.
7. Their fat content can help you absorb nutrients from plant foods
When it comes to nutrients, your intake is not the only thing that matters.
You also need to be able to absorb these nutrients – moving them out of your digestive system and out of your body where they can be used.
Some nutrients are fat-soluble, which means they must be combined with fat to be used.
Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, along with antioxidants such as carotenoids.
One study showed that adding avocado or avocado oil to either salad or salsa can increase antioxidant absorption by 2.6 to 15 times.
Thus, not only is avocado extremely nutritious, it can dramatically increase the nutritional value of the other plant foods you eat.
This is a great reason to always include a healthy source of fat when eating vegetables. Without it, many of the beneficial plant nutrients will be wasted.
SUMMARY
Οι μελέτες έχουν δείξει ότι η κατανάλωση αβοκάντο ή έλαιο αβοκάντο με λαχανικά μπορεί να αυξήσει
dramatically the number of antioxidants you take.
8. Avocados are loaded with powerful antioxidants that can protect your eyes
Not only do avocados increase antioxidant absorption from other foods, they are also high in antioxidants themselves.
This includes the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are extremely important for eye health.
Studies show that they are associated with a drastic reduction in the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common in older adults.
Therefore, eating avocados should benefit your eye health in the long run.
SUMMARY
Avocados are high in antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
9. Avocados can help prevent cancer
There is limited evidence that avocados may be beneficial in treating and preventing cancer.
Tube studies suggest that it may help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy on human lymphocytes.
Avocado extract has also been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in a laboratory.
However, keep in mind that these studies were performed on individual cells and do not necessarily prove what can happen in humans. Human-based research is not available.
SUMMARY
Some studies in test tubes have shown that the nutrients in avocados can have benefits in preventing prostate cancer and reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. However, human-based research is lacking.
10. Avocado extract can help relieve arthritis symptoms
Arthritis is a common problem in western countries. There are many types of this condition, which are often chronic problems that people have for the rest of their lives.
Multiple studies suggest that avocado and soybean oil extracts – called saponins and soy – can reduce osteoarthritis.
Whether avocados themselves have this effect remains to be seen.
SUMMARY
Studies have shown that avocado and soybean oil extracts can significantly reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
11. Eating avocados can help you lose weight
There is some evidence that avocados are a friendly food for weight loss.
In one study, people who ate avocados with a meal felt 23% more satisfied and had a 28% lower desire to eat for the next 5 hours, compared to people who did not eat the fruit.
If this is the case in the long run, then including avocados in your diet can help you consume fewer calories and make it easier to maintain healthy habits.
They are also high in fiber and very low in carbohydrates, two characteristics that should help promote weight loss, at least in the context of a healthy diet based on real food.
SUMMARY
Avocados can help with weight loss by keeping you fuller and making you eat fewer calories. It is also high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, which can promote weight loss.
12. Its fruit is delicious and easy to incorporate into your diet
Avocados are not only healthy, they are also extremely tasty and go with many types of food.
You can add them to salads and various recipes or just throw them out with a spoon and just eat them.
They have a creamy, rich, oily texture and combine well with other ingredients.
A notable reference is guacamole, which is arguably the most famous use of avocados. Includes avocado along with ingredients such as salt, garlic, lime and a few others, depending on the recipe.
The fruit often needs some time to ripen and should feel slightly soft when ripe. The nutrients in avocados can oxidize and turn brown soon after the flesh, but adding lemon juice should slow down this process.
SUMMARY
They have a creamy, rich, oily texture and combine well with other ingredients. Therefore, it is easy to add this fruit to your diet. Using lemon juice can prevent avocados from cutting out quickly.
in conclusion
Avocados are an excellent food, full of nutrients, many of which are missing from the modern diet.
Ensuring weight loss is helpful for heart health and very good taste.
