What Are The Benefits of Avocado For A Good Health!

 

 

Overview

 

Do you know the excellent health benefits of avocado? What is the nutritional value of this fruit? Why this fruit is so popular in the fitness world? Does it have anti-aging effects? Can it lose weight?

Yes! Today we will discuss all of these and more.

 

Avocado Health Benefits

Avocado is one of the most trending fruit in the fitness world.

First of all, do you know what an avocado actually is! Is it a veggie? or fruit? You must be surprised to know the reality.

Avocado is a berry. The edible part is yellowish-green fruit flesh.

It is an exotic fruit, and native to Mexico. Belonging to the Lauraceae family, the scientific name is Persea americana.

The taste of avocado quite impressive. It is rich creamy, and delicious in taste.

Do you know, it is an amazing fruit packed with 20 different nutrients, healthy fats, and numerous health benefits!

Due to the presence of green bumpy skin and pear-like shape, it is also known as alligator pear.

Various types of avocados are present in the market, but the most popular one is called the Hass Avocado.

The wide variety of nutrients and magnificent benefits of avocado, make this fruit a superfood.

So, let’s explore its nutritional value, health benefits, and increase wellness.

 

 know more topic: Health Benefits of Berry

Nutritional Value of Avocado

 

Avocado’s nutritional value is very popular.

It contains a wide variety of nutrients and packed with over 20 different vitamins, such as vitamin C, E, A, K, B complex, and minerals including potassium, magnesium, many more.

But it is famous for its pretty fats. Avocado is a significant source of healthy fats, which are heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids.

Generally, an avocado contains 8.5% of carbs, 15% of healthy fat, 2% of protein, and almost 72% of water.

Every 100 gm (3.5 ounces) of an avocado provides 160 calories (very few), 15 gm of healthy fat, 2 gm of protein.

Avocado's Nutritional Value

It also contains 9 gm of carbs, in which dietary fiber is 7 gm.

On the other hand, a 3.5 ounce serving of 26% vitamin K, 175 vitamin C, 10% vitamin E, 20% folate, 14% vitamin B₅, and 13% vitamin B₆ of the daily value.

Not only these biomolecules, but the benefits of avocado also depend on its minerals.

Avocados consist of potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, phosphorus, and do not contain any sodium.

The dietary fats of avocado are unsaturated fatty acids and do not contain any cholesterol.

Avocado also contains some antioxidants, and phytochemicals, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, lycopene, etc.

 

 

Health Benefits of an Avocado

 

Avocado is a superfood with massive nutrients.

With a creamy texture and yellowish-green flesh, the health benefits of avocado are widely distributed from the heart to the brain, weight loss to healthy pregnancy, many more.

 

i. Avocado Provides Massive Nutrition

Among the various health benefits of avocado, one of the most important is its nutritional profile.

From dietary fiber to unsaturated fatty acids, this fruit provides massive nutrition.

Nutrients of Avocado

100 gm of avocado rich in 7 gm of fiber which is 27% of the daily value (DV).

From digestion to weight loss, reducing blood sugar, the fiber content plays several important roles.

Avocado is one of the fattiest fruits in the world. Every 100 gm of avocado rich in 15 gm of fats, and obviously they are heart-friendly MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids).

Dietary potassium is another vital nutrient that avocado is relatively rich in. The amounts of potassium present in avocado are more than a banana.

100 gm of avocado also rich in 14% potassium, where banana provides 10% of the DV only.

The benefits of avocado also linked with its antioxidants. Lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene stands with massive antioxidant effects and prevents oxidative damage.

 

ii. Avocado Helps to Lose Weight

The avocado benefits are quite popular in the case of weight management. There is some evidence that proves avocado is an effective weight-loss food.

According to a study, consuming avocado with a meal felt 23% more satisfied and had a 28% lower desire to eat over the next 5 hours as compared to people who did not consume.

Avocado For Lose Weight

For a long time, the consumption of avocado may help to eat fewer calories naturally.

On the other hand, the fiber content of this fruit fills the satiety, suppresses hunger, and reduces excess food intake, which directly connected to lose weight.

Additionally, avocado increases the metabolism of the body results in weight loss.

So, if you have a weight loss goal, and to access the weight loss benefit of avocado, keep this superfood in your regular diet.

 

iii. Avocado Improves Heart Health

Various heart-healthy benefits of avocado are quite popular in the health world.

The low sodium and high potassium of avocado reduce blood pressure.

On the other hand, potassium also depletes excess sodium in our body and plays a crucial role in controlling hypertension.

A cup of sliced avocado provides almost 32% of your recommended fats. This fruit rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid, which is oleic acid*.

Avocado Improves Heart Health

This healthy fat helps lower cholesterol levels.

According to studies, avocado significantly reduces total cholesterol levels, triglyceride up to 20%, bad cholesterol (LDL) up to 22%, and increases good cholesterol (HDL) by 11%.

Additionally, β-sitosterol of avocado also reduces LDL, but cannot increase HDL.

Dietary fiber reduces blood cholesterol levels by affecting dietary fat absorption.

All these benefits of avocado turn to lower the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke, and various heart diseases.

 

*Oleic acid the major compound of olive oil also.

 

 

iv.  Avocado Improves Digestion

With the creamy texture, the fruit flesh consists high amount of dietary fiber, which is almost 7 gm in every 3.5 ounces.

Fiber plays a crucial role to improve digestion. The fiber content of avocado is both soluble, and insoluble type.

The amounts of soluble fiber are 25% and insoluble is 75% of total fiber.

avocado improves digestion

Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance that supports friendly gut bacteria as a prebiotic, add water and bulk to stool.

On the other hand, insoluble fiber increases stool volume, softens it, and promotes bowel movement in the intestine.

Additionally, eating foods with natural fiber can help prevent constipation, indigestion, and lower the risk of colon cancer.

All these avocado benefits linked with proper digestion, and a healthy gut.

know more topic: Top 9 Probiotic Foods & Their Health Benefits

 

v. Avocado May Prevent Cancer

Cancer prevention is another vital benefit of avocado.

The monounsaturated fats of avocado (like oleic acid) have anti-inflammatory effects that may prevent cancer caused by inflammation.

According to the study, the healthy fat of this fruit able to wipe out the leukemia stem cells. This cancerous cell triggers leukemia over 65 years old person.

On the other hand, the antioxidants of avocado prevent oxidative stress, as well as a genetic mutation, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Additionally, dietary fiber also reduces inflammation in the gut and may prevent the risk of colorectal cancer.

So, this superfood should present in the diet of a cancer patient during chemotherapy.

know more topic: Top 14 Health Benefits of Pomegranate

 

vi. Avocado Can Protect Your Eyes

Avocado in your daily diet maintains healthy eyesight. Various antioxidants of this fruit can protect the eyes.

Antioxidant lutein and zeaxanthin protect the retina from oxidative damages in UV exposure. They can prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

avocado protects your eyes

On the other hand, β-carotene, and vitamin A play an important role in eyesight by maintaining a clear cornea.

β-carotene of this superfood converts into vitamin A and supports rhodopsin that allows us to see in low light.

Additionally, the monounsaturated fats of avocado support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A in the body and helps to improve eye health.

So, the several avocado benefits keep in mind and put it into your diet.

 

vii. Avocado Supports Healthy Pregnancy 

Another health benefit of avocado is carrying a healthy pregnancy.

Vitamin-B₉ (folate) is extremely important for a pregnant mother, and the fetus.

Adequate folate consumption supports the formation of the neural tube of the fetus as well as reduces the risk of miscarriage.

avocado promotes healthy pregnancy

Every 3.5 ounces (100 gm) avocado provides 20% folate of the recommended daily value to a pregnant mother.

On the other hand, vitamin B₉ prevents the build-up of homocysteine that hampers blood circulation in the brain of the fetus as well as the pregnant mother.

According to health experts, avocado also beneficial for fertility.

It helps to boost fertility and better chances to conceive. It increases the success rate in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

 

viii. Avocado Lowers Depression

Avocado plays an important role to lower depression and anxiety.

Foods containing high levels of folate may help to decrease the risk of depression due to increased blood circulation in the brain.

Excess homocysteine can alter the production of serotonin, and dopamine. Both of these neurotransmitters regulate mood, hunger, and quality of sleep.

Folate prevents homocysteine formation and enhances our mood.

Avocado Enhances Mood

On the other hand, avocado also increases the feel-good hormone (like serotine, dopamine, endorphins, etc.) in the brain, and prevents various mental issues.

Additionally, MUFA and other antioxidants of this exotic fruit reduce inflammation in the brain, prevent oxidative brain cell damage, and protect overall brain health.

Magnesium also required for proper nerve functioning.

So, keep in mind all the benefits of avocado for a peaceful mind, strong brain, and put it in your regular diet.

 

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ix. Avocado Promotes Bone and Joint Health

Promoting bone and joint health are some of the important health benefits of an avocado.

Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus of avocado reduces the decay of bones, and maintain proper bone health.

Vitamin K also essential for bone health. This vitamin increases calcium absorption in the bone and reduces calcium elimination through urine.

On the other hand, this superfood has anti-inflammatory effects, which reduce inflammation in the joints and may prevent arthritis.

Avocado also prevents osteoporosis.

know more topic: Top 11 Zinc-rich Foods

 

x. Avocado for Healthy Skin

Do you want to nourish your skin in a chemical-free way? Then avocado is the answer.

It contains 17% DV of vitamin C as well as 10% DV of vitamin E. Both are essential for healthy, and glowing skin.

Vitamin C and E both are potent antioxidants in nature. They reduce oxidative damage in the skin cell.

Additionally, vitamin C helps the body producing collagen protein that the main support of skin health.

Avocado can be your home remedy to replenish your face especially.

avocado improves skin health

if you have dry red itchy or rough skin due to the harsh weather, then you should really consider the beauty benefits of avocado for your skincare.

They are also rich in other nutrients, such as vitamin B, amino acids, which soothe, and moisturize your face.

So, you can even use it topically as a moisturizing agent.

You can also use a banana face mask mixed with avocado fruit pulp to get more moisturizing effects.

On the other hand, applying avocado oil, and vitamin B₁₂ containing cream to the skin for 12 weeks reduces symptoms of psoriasis as conventional medication.

know more topic: Health Benefits of Banana

 

xi. Avocado for Hair Growth

Not only for the skin, but avocado also provides hair growth as well as prevents hair loss. This exotic fruit can also improve the condition of your hair.

avocado mask for hair growth

Due to its effective moisturizing effect, avocados were used for dry or damaged hair by early Egyptians.

You can use an avocado mask for hair growth, and strong hair.

 

xii. Eat Avocado for Overall Health

In the USA, a study over 18,000 people on their food habits, and health who consume avocado regularly, showed that those who consume this superfood, much healthier than the people who do not.

Avocado consumers had a higher nutrient intake, and less metabolic syndrome (such as heart diseases, diabetes, etc.)

health benefits of avocado

They also had higher good cholesterol (HDL) as well as low bad cholesterol levels.

However, more research is needed on this factor.

 

know more topic: Importance of Alkaline Diet

Downsides of Avocado Consumption

 

We learned several benefits of avocado.

Now it is time to look at the side effects and safety precautions of avocado consumption.

It is normally safe in a normal serving size, and generally has very few side effects on the skin when used topically. Although, few people do report mild itching.

So, an avocado mask should not be applied for more than three consecutive months.

On the other hand, a lot of calories because of the fat content may cause some side effects.

For pregnant, and breastfeeding mothers, there is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking avocado with medicine. Drug-food interactions can occur. 

If anyone who has latex sensitivity can be allergic to avocado.

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Now, The Conclusion

 

Avocado is a highly nutritious fruit with heart-healthy MUFA, potassium as well as fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, K,), antioxidants, and more.

It is the world’s fattiest plant food with a total of 77% of the calories due to fat.

However, the fat in this fruit is healthy oleic acid, which is also found in olive oil.

avocado for your better health

Due to the presence of various nutrients, and health benefits of avocado, it is considered a superfood.

It aids in the absorption of nutrients, key vitamins, like vitamin A, D, and K, or fat-soluble compounds.

Adding avocado oil can increase antioxidants to your salads 3 to 15 folds. It can significantly enhance the nutritional value of other plant foods in your diet.

Not only highly nutritious, but this fruit also delicious in taste, and easy to incorporate with diet.

Finally, avocado is a heart-healthy, weight loss, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich fruit with a tasty, and creamy texture.

So, try to access all the avocado benefits, and put this exotic fruit into your regular diet.

 

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