Avocados, also known as alligator pear or butter fruit, have grown in popularity in recent years, with many people mixing the creamy fruit into smoothies or slicing it to stack on toast.
Avocados (Persea americana) belong to the berries category, despite the confusion among people about them as fruits or vegetables. They belong to the Lauraceae family of plants, the same family as the cinnamon tree. Avocados originated from Mexico and Central America, but they are now grown worldwide, including in North America. California leads the plantation of avocado, with over 5,000 avocado farms producing over 400 million pounds of avocados each year.
For good cause, this green fruit has become a true mainstay in kitchens all around the world. Avocados provide a wide range of health advantages and may be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. These fruits are used in various dishes such as guacamole, salads, tacos, and more in traditional Mexican, Central American, and South American cuisine. It is also a wonderful fat substitution that won’t make your desserts taste like avocado, depending on how you bake with them.
Avocados are a food powerhouse that can benefit your long-term health. Avocados are loaded with a variety of essential elements, many of which are deficient in today’s diets.
- A 7-ounce (201-gram) avocado has the following nutritional value:
- 322 calories
- 30 grams of fat
- 4 grams of protein
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- 14 grams of fibre
- 22 percent of the daily intake of vitamin C (DV)
- Vitamin E: 28% of the daily value
- 35 percent of the daily value for vitamin K
- Riboflavin (B2): 20% of the daily value
- Niacin (B3): 22% of the daily value
- Pantothenic acid (B5): 56% of the daily value
- Pyridoxine (B6): 30% of the daily value
- Folate: 41% of the daily value
- Magnesium: 14% of the daily value
- Potassium: 21% of the daily value
- Copper: 42% of the daily value
- Manganese: 12% of the daily value
- Here are some health benefits of avocado.
They contain a lot of potassium. This mineral helps regulate nerve function and transport nutrients into cells while also removing waste. Besides, it helps to lower blood pressure. High sodium levels can raise blood pressure, and potassium allows more salt to leave the body through urine in order to decrease blood pressure. Yet, beware of too high a surge of potassium level in the body may be fatal.
Avocado has a high content of monosaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats have one unsaturated carbon link in their molecule. In layman’s words, it’s an unsaturated lipid that lowers LDL cholesterol while leaving HDL cholesterol alone. When you have too much LDL cholesterol, it hardens around the borders of your arteries and narrows them, this phenomenon is atherosclerosis. Blood flow through the arteries is reduced, which can lead to blood clots and other medical problems. Blood pressure control may also be aided by high potassium and magnesium content in avocado. Eating healthy fats promotes skin health, improves absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and even aids immune system support.
Fiber-rich foods keep you fuller for longer than low-fiber diets. Avocados are therefore a good choice for persons who are trying to lose weight. According to research, eating a diet high in fibre foods like fruits and vegetables will help you lose weight. Gut health and microbial diversity are also aided by dietary fibre. This aids in the maintenance of a balanced microorganism flora in the body. This can help to minimize digestive system inflammation and irritation.
Avocados are also good vitamin and mineral boosters. They are high in folate which is beneficial for fetal health. Folate is a B vitamin that is necessary for good brain function and pregnancy health. During the first several weeks of pregnancy, folate can help avoid birth abnormalities, particularly those that impair a baby’s brain and spine. Avocados can also help you meet the recommended dietary requirements for nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and B6 that are required in higher amounts during pregnancy and lactation. Folate prevents the formation of homocysteine, a chemical that can diminish blood flow and nutrient delivery to the brain. Excess homocysteine has been associated with cognitive dysfunction, depression, and the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which control our mood, sleep, and appetite, according to reviews of previous research. As a result, it’s thought that getting enough folate will help avoid neurodegenerative diseases and depression. Getting adequate vitamin K can help with bone health by increasing calcium absorption and lowering calcium excretion through the urine. But too high vitamin K intake may affect the action of blood thinners such as warfarin.
Avocados are high in carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and phenolic compounds, which are all beneficial chemicals. Carotenoids found in avocados, such as lutein, α-Carotene, and β-Carotene, have been shown to have strong antioxidant effects, protecting against oxidative damage, which has been linked to the progression of many chronic diseases, including cancer prevention, though this has not been proven conclusively. Avocados contain phytochemicals lutein and zeaxanthin, which are found in eye cells. They function to provide antioxidant protection and to reduce damage from UV rays.
The importance of a person’s total diet in obtaining good health and avoiding disease cannot be overstated. As a result, it is preferable to concentrate on having a diverse diet rather than on the benefits of certain foods.
Feel free to Ask a Doctor for any health concerns.
