Health Benefits of the Avocado

The avocado is one of my favorite foods. It looks like a vegetable, but it is technically a fruit. I grew up in California where avocados are in abundance and I learned to love them as a kid. According to avocado.org, avocados have been around since as early as 500 B.C. in Mexico. Other sites claim the avocado has been in existence in South America since 8000 B.C. My home state of California is home to almost 90% of our nations avocado crops. Since moving to Texas I have noticed only 1 major difference in the avocados in the stores here, they cost more in Texas.

The avocado is delicious and can be used in anything from guacamole, to sandwiches and burgers (I love avocado on a hamburger). A salad becomes instantly tastier and more nutritious when you add a bit of avocado to it. If you don't want to eat the avocado, it also makes a great face mask for soft, smooth skin.

Is Your Avocado Ripe:

A ripe avocado should be soft to the touch, but not squishy. It shouldn't have dark spots on it.

If you choose a firm avocado, you can easily ripen it by placing it in a brown paper bag for 2-3 days. Do not put avocados in the refrigerator unless they are already ripe. Don't expect the avocado to last more than a week once you do put it in the fridge.

Health Benefits of the Avocado:

1 medium avocado contains about 250 calories, but don't let that scare you away from it. The avocado has 0 trans fat and very low amounts of saturated fat. It contains monosaturated fat, which is the healthy kind.

The avocado contains 20 vitamins and minerals per serving.

The avocado is a cholesterol healthy fruit. It helps you maintain a lower cholesterol level. In fact, avocados contain 0 mg of cholesterol.

It has also been shown to contain an antioxidant called Lutein, which helps you maintain healthy eyesight.

Avocado is high in oleic acid. Oleic acid has been shown in studies to help prevent breast cancer.

According to Great Britain's Mouth Cancer Foundation, "Avocados offer a delicious dietary strategy for preventing oral cancer."

So besides being extremely tasty, avocados are quite healthy for you. Personally, I like to cut open an avocado, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it, and devour it just like that. However, if you are looking for good recipes on how to use an avocado in your next meal, check out http://www.avocado.org/recipes/. If you decide to make guacamole, you may want to wash it down with a shot of tequila, which is also healthier than you think. Check out my article on Tequila's Health Benefits at: www.associatedcontent.com/article/1909094/_tequilas_health_benefits_.html

Sources: http://www.avocado.org/about
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5