ROAD TO GOOD HEALTH & NUTRITION: AMAZING BENEFITS OF AVOCADO

Avocados are a stone fruit with a creamy texture that grow in warm climates. What we refer to as “avocado” is the fruit of the avocado tree, called Persea americana.
This fruit is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to all sorts of dishes due to its good flavor and rich texture. It is the main ingredient in guacamole. These days, the avocado has become an incredibly popular food among health conscious individuals. It is often referred to as a superfood… which is not surprising given its health properties. There are many kinds of avocados, and the shape (from pear-shaped to round) and color (from green to black) can vary between them. They can also weigh anywhere from 8 ounces (220 grams) to 3 pounds (1.4 kg).

Nutritional breakdown of avocados

Raw Avocados
Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy	670 kJ (160 kcal)
Carbohydrates	8.53 g
Starch	0.11 g
Sugars lactose	0.66 g 0
Dietary fiber	6.7 g
Fat	14.66 g
Saturated	2.126
Trans	0
Monounsaturated	9.8
Polyunsaturated	1.816
Protein	2.00
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv. beta-carotene lutein zeaxanthin	(1%) 7 μg (1%) 62 μg 271 μg
Vitamin A	146 IU
Thiamine (B1)	(6%) 0.067 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(11%) 0.130 mg
Niacin (B3)	(12%) 1.738 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(28%) 1.389 mg
Vitamin B6	(20%) 0.257 mg
Folate (B9)	(20%) 81 μg
Choline	(3%) 14.2 mg
Vitamin C	(12%) 10.0 mg
Vitamin E	(14%) 2.07 mg
Vitamin K	(20%) 21 μg
Minerals
Calcium	(1%) 12 mg
Iron	(4%) 0.55 mg
Magnesium	(8%) 29 mg
Phosphorus	(7%) 52 mg
Potassium	(10%) 485 mg
Sodium	(0%) 7 mg
Zinc	(7%) 0.64 mg
Other constituents
Water	73.23
·         Units ·         μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams ·         IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source:USDA Nutrient Database

Health Benefits of Avocados

Eating a diet that contains plentiful fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Numerous studies have found that a predominantly plant-based diet that includes foods such as avocados can help to decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy and overall lower weight.

1. Healthy for the heart: The mono- and polyunsaturated fats in avocados not only help reduce blood cholesterol levels, but they help decrease the overall risk for heart disease. Avocado’s high vitamin B6 and folic acid content helps to regulate homocysteine levels, according to Cohen, which is what reduces the risk. Study published found that avocados were associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms shown to increase the risk of stroke, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. Overall, avocado consumption is associated with improved diet quality, nutrient intake, and good heart health.
2. Lowers Cholesterol: The super fruit is filled with fats that are good for you, specifically monounsaturated fat, which helps to lower bad cholesterol. This is because avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, according to Cohen, which is a compound that lowers blood cholesterol levels. “If you worry about your body’s cholesterol levels, avocados are a great solution because they will actually lower your LDL and increase your HDL levels,” she said. Regular consumption of beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols has been seen to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels by lowering reducing total cholesterol levels significantly, reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%, lower LDL cholesterol by up to 22%, increase HDL (the “good”) cholesterol by up to 11%.
3. Great for vision: Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that are especially concentrated in the tissues in the eyes, where they provide antioxidant protection to help minimize damage, including from ultraviolet light. As the monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados also supports the absorption of other beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants such as beta-carotene, including avocados as part of a healthy diet may help to reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
4. Osteoporosis prevention: Half of an avocado provides approximately 25% of the daily-recommended intake for vitamin K, a nutrient that is often overlooked, but which is essential for bone health. Vitamin K is often overshadowed by calcium and vitamin D when thinking of nutrients important for maintaining healthy bones, however, eating a diet with adequate vitamin K can support bone health by increasing calcium absorption and reducing urinary excretion of calcium.
5. Reduces The Risk of Certain Cancers: Avocados possess a mix of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, which makes them able to combat certain cancers, including mouth, skin, and prostate. Studies have shown that phytochemicals in avocados can selectively induce cell cycle arrest, inhibit growth, and induce apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines. In other words, it is the phytochemicals in this fruit that encourage cancer cells to stop growing and die out. The consumption of avocado can also be beneficial during chemotherapy. These sessions often drain the body out of gluthathione — a powerful antioxidant source — but avocado can help. “Avocados contain rich sources of both vitamin E and glutathione, and if chemotherapy is reducing your glutathione storage supply, avocados are a great way to get that antioxidant back into your system,” Brennecke said. “A low supply of gluthathione can make the healthy cells vulnerable to chemotherapy damage.”
6. Healthy babies: Folate is also extremely important for a healthy pregnancy, with adequate intake reducing the risk of miscarriage and neural tube defects. Recent research from McGill University also found a 30% higher incidence of a variety of birth defects in baby mice conceived using sperm from mice with a folate deficiency compared to mice conceived using sperm from mice without a folate deficiency.
7. Lower risk of depression: Foods containing high levels of folate may help to decrease the risk of depression as folate helps to prevent the build-up of homocysteine, a substance that can impair circulation and delivery of nutrients to the brain. Excess homocysteine can also interfere with the production of the serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate mood, sleep and appetite.
8. Improved digestion: Despite its creamy texture, an avocado is actually high in fiber, with approximately 6-7 grams per half fruit. Eating foods with natural fiber can help to prevent constipation, maintain a healthy digestive tract and lower the risk of colon cancer.
9. Natural detoxification: Adequate fiber promotes regular bowel movements, which are crucial for the daily excretion of toxins through the bile and stool. Recent studies have shown that dietary fiber may also play a role in regulating the immune system and inflammation.
10. Protection from chronic disease: 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.
11. Ease Symptoms of Arthritis: Avocados contain phytosterols, carotenoid antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids and polyhydroxolated fatty alcohols, which make the fruit an anti-inflammatory agent. There are many types of arthritis, and these are often chronic problems that people have for the rest of their lives. Multiple studies have shown that extracts from avocado and soybean oil, called Avocado and Soybean unsaponifiables, can reduce symptoms of arthritis of the bones, called osteoarthritis.
12. Helps In Weight Loss: Avocados are also high in fiber, and very low in carbs, two attributes that should also help promote weight loss, at least in the context of a healthy, real food based diet.
13. Absorbs Other Nutrients: Avocado has a rich fat content that makes it easier to absorb fat solubles such as vitamins A, K, D, and E, which means that adding this creamy fruit to any vegetable-dense meals will help you get all of the vitamins of your food. Without fat in your diet, the body would not be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in that meal. Studies have shown that the fat content in avocados facilitate absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (vitamins  A, D, E & K) when combined with foods containing those nutrients.”
14. Delicious and Easy to Incorporate in Diet: Not only are avocados healthy, they’re also incredibly delicious and go with all sorts of foods. You can add them to salads and various sorts of recipes, or you can simply scoop them out with a spoon and eat them plain. They have a creamy, rich, fatty texture and blend well with various other ingredients. A notable mention is guacamole, which is arguably the most famous use of avocados. It includes avocado along with ingredients like salt, garlic, lime and a few others depending on the recipe. An avocado often takes some time to ripen and it should feel slightly soft when ripe. The nutrients in avocado can oxidize soon after fleshing it, but if you add lemon juice then that shouldn’t happen as quickly.

At the end of the day, avocados are an awesome food. They’re loaded with nutrients, many of which are lacking in the modern diet. What more could one ask for in this God’s Gift of Nature?