Avocados are one of the most nutritional as well as healthy fruits you can eat.Wellness choices begin with proper nutrition, and the avocado is an excellent food source to achieve that goal. The avocado fruit, also known as the Alligator Pear, vegetable butter or butter pear, is light-green with a pear-like shape and has skin with a leather-like appearance. Avocados have a creamy, buttery texture and are popular in salads, salsas, soups, sandwiches, wraps, guacamole and various other dishes. Avocados are native to Central and South America where they have been cultivated for thousands of years.

Avocados are quite healthy for you because they are an excellent source of potassium, folate, iron, vitamin E, B-vitamins, fiber, and monounsaturated fatty acids.  Just one avocado has the same amount of potassium as two or three bananas (but more calories, approximately 50 calories for 1/5 of a regular size avocado). The sodium and potassium in avocados keeps your body chemically balanced.

An avocado contains approximately 20% fat which is mostly why the avocado is a misunderstood fruit. However, the fat in avocados is ‘good fat’. Avocados contain extremely high amounts of unsaturated oil (second only to olives). The other oils include oleic acid and linoleic acid, which studies have shown may lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (this is of less importance since we already established that cholesterol is a big hoax). Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are therefore a healthy substitution for foods rich in saturated fat. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain. Furthermore, avocados are a perfectly digestible and slow burning fuel, making them ideal for replenishing nutrients for athletes.

Avocados are also loaded with essential micronutrients with nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds necessary for a healthy and balanced diet. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making it a good nutrient choice. The avocado’s smooth, creamy consistency makes it one of the first fresh fruits a baby can enjoy. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes (lutein is concentrated in the macula of the eyes). Both are known to be powerful antioxidants. Avocados also contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels (which again is not that important).

Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Avocados and Heart Disease:

Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association, which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. The fats should be primarily unsaturated and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat. Avocados help assist consumers in meeting a major dietary goal of reducing saturated fat in the diet, when they are consumed in place of saturated-fat containing foods.

When used instead of other fats, avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet or weight loss program.

Spread and Dip Nutritional Comparison for Fresh Avocados:

Fresh avocado on sandwiches and toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Looking for a twist on spreads and dips? A 1-ounce serving of fresh avocados contain 0mg of cholesterol, 0mg of sodium, 0.5g saturated fat. See the chart below for examples of how fresh avocados are a great substitute on sandwiches, toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods.

Reference: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005) and FDA Food Labeling Guidelines for Voluntary Nutrition Labeling of Raw Fruits, Vegetable and Fish (Vol. 71, No. 159); Appendix C to Part 101 – Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits and Vegetables (2006). Nutritional values are for the item listed only; not as consumed with other foods or ingredients.

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike

Resource: California Avacodo commission

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