Health Benefits of Avocados

Have you been avoiding the avocado, because of a misconception that because of high fat content, it must be bad for your health? These beautiful green fruits with the buttery, nutty taste are actually powerhouses of nutrition offering many dietary health benefits. Think of it as eating your vitamins - much tastier than a supplement pill!

Avocados are nutrient dense foods - they offer a high concentration of valuable vitamins, phytosterols, and minerals for a small caloric cost. The fat found in avocados is mono saturated, or beneficial, fat. An average avocado contains 5 grams of fat. When you replace the saturated fat in your diet with a healthier mono saturated fat, it helps lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is considered to be harmful to health and wellness.

Avocados are a high source of protein. It is complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids required by the human body. This makes it a good meat replacement. For those trying to limit animal protein, an avocado is a tasty alternative. Their bland, mild flavor is easy to digest.

Add them to salads, and salsa to add vitamins B, E, K, and C. Vitamins B and C are water soluble vitamins - they exit the body in the urine. It is important to replace them daily, and avocados are the perfect choice. The fat soluble vitamins E and K are stored in fat and continue to provide nutrients over a longer period. Just think, one food that provides a double dose of valuable vitamins!

Looking for an easy way to add more fiber to your diet? Pick up an avocado today! High in fiber, they also boost potassium levels. An avocado provides more potassium than a banana. The health benefit is potassium works to regulate blood pressure. Fiber helps you feel more satisfied with less food, aids digestion, and helps regulate the bowels.

Other health benefits of the avocado are helping to reduce the risk of stroke, maintaining heart health, and preventing or lowering the risk of certain types of cancer. They can also help maintain eye health by providing lutein. Lutein has been shown to be a prime nutrient that aids in minimizing the dangers of cataracts and other aging eye diseases. The vitamin E and folate in avocado may lessen the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Rather than being a high fat food to be avoided, the avocado should be a regular part of a healthy food plan. The health benefits of high protein and high fiber, combined with the nutrient dense profile adds up to major health and wellness gains. Lowering your risks of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, heart disease, eye problems, and cholesterol issues is worth the investment in the powerful avocado.

Sources:

ttp://www.avocado.org/about/fun-facts

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dietaryfiber.html