Avocados are not only delicious and versatile in so many ways, they are packed full of goodness containing 20 health-boosting nutrients making it one of the best foods to eat as part of a healthy diet. But do you know exactly what makes avocados so great? Here are some avocado nutrition facts to let you know just how amazing they are!
If you want to get the most out of this superfood, don’t forget to read these related articles:
Whole-Day Meals: 15 Healthy And Unique Avocado Recipes
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What’s in an avocado that makes it so healthy?
There is so much goodness packed in just one serving of avocado (one cup or half a fruit). Avocados contain a huge variety of vitamins including the essential vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.
They contain high amounts of antioxidants, lutein, monounsaturated fats, magnesium and fibre which all contribute to optimum all-round health. Not only that but they contain almost no sodium (salt) or saturated fats that cause heart disease.
Why exactly are they so good for me?
Potassium is essential for brain function, lowering blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure, increasing bone health and even lowering stress and anxiety; it’s pretty much essential for the proper function of all cells, tissues and organs in the body and avocados are packed full of potassium—even more than bananas!
Vitamin B6 is an essential vitamin that helps produce antibodies. This means that your immune system is getting a huge boost when you eat avocado and works more efficiently to fight off diseases. An avocado a day may just keep the doctor away!
Vitamin K (not to be mistaken for potassium) is essential for healthy bones and helps to heal wounds through healthy blood clotting.
Avocados are high in magnesium which means it helps build bones, enables nerve function and is essential to the production of energy from food. Avocado is unique in that it acts as a “nutrient booster” meaning that it helps the body absorb vitamins in foods eaten together with it.
There is almost no trace of sodium (salt) in avocados and they are high in fibre, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats which lessen inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer.
Avocados are high in antioxidants which are important for cell renewal in the body. The vitamin C and E as well as lutein all contain high amounts of antioxidants that help slow down the ageing process and promote cell health in our eyes and skin.
Does that mean eating avocados will make me look good?
Yes! The large amounts of antioxidants in avocado mean that your cells are getting help with optimizing renewal and that includes your skin cells. The high amount of monounsaturated fat contributes to soft, youthful-looking skin and retains the plump complexion that makes people look younger. Avocados also stimulate the production of collagen that’s responsible for keeping wrinkles at bay so eating an avocado is almost like an anti-ageing cream that works from the inside.
Avocados also make a good face mask as the oil soothes and can help with dry and acne-prone skin. It can boost and refresh your complexion therefore making avocados an essential part of your beauty regime inside and out.
Does eating avocado boost brain power?
Eating avocado won’t exactly make you more intelligent but they can optimize the use of your brain cells. The high amount of potassium in avocados contribute to more efficient brain function by decreasing tiredness and fatigue which in turn can help lessen symptoms of stress and depression. This can contribute to better thought-processing and general outlook giving you the chance to think more clearly and boost your brain’s capabilities.
How many calories are there in an avocado?
In an average sized avocado there are almost 250 calories which is a good chunk of our daily recommended calorie intake. When you think that an average chocolate bar contains 200–250 calories then it may seem like a huge amount—and it is. The difference obviously being that the amount of goodness you get from an avocado far outweighs the goodness from a chocolate bar. It’s what these calories contain that is important; a chocolate bar is essentially just “empty” calories that our body doesn’t need. An avocado is packed full of goodness that our body will use to help with healthy functioning in so many ways.
via Dr Axe
Avocados contain a lot of fat. Isn’t this unhealthy?
Avocados are extremely high in fat. In fact, avocados are made up of 75–80% fat but that shouldn’t put you off eating them. The reason being that avocados have 0% trans fats and extremely low saturated fats. This means that they are packed full of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are far healthier and better for us.
- Bad Fat (Trans and Saturated) These fats contribute to the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood that leads to heart disease. Too much causes blood vessels to narrow increasing the risk of blood clots.
- Good Fat (Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated) These counteract bad fats and help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and promote good heart health as well as optimizing our overall health. These are the only fats significantly found in avocados.
Is there such a thing as too much avocado in my diet?
Although avocados are a huge benefit for our health, this doesn’t necessarily mean we need to eat a huge amount on a daily basis. As part of a healthy diet, eating a small avocado several times a week will allow you to reap the benefits.
Substituting avocado for saturated fats such as butter is a great way to lower the amount of saturated fat in your diet and upping your good fat intake. You can replace butter with avocado in sandwiches and even cakes to make them a lot healthier.
Featured photo credit: tookapic via pixabay.com
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