Avocado - 15 Powerful Health Benefits

Evidence Based Article 📄

This article has been based on relevant and up-to-date scientific studies. Our writers are unbiased and objective and present the facts as they are known. Numbers in brackets within the article refer to sources included in the reference list at the end of the article.

One of the greatest of nature’s miracle foods, avocado is a popular high nutrient fruit that people enjoy all over the world.

Due to its high content of healthy fats, nutritionists recommend to consume avocado at least 4 times a week.

Not only will avocado keep your body in excellent condition from your head to toe, but will add a creamy texture and incredible flavor to any meal.

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There are many kinds of avocados and each one is a fabulous nutrition powerhouse. Whether you are looking to boost your overall health or you just want to jazz up your weekly diet, here are all the reasons why avocado should be on your menu. But let’s see how nutritious it is:

Avocado Nutrition Facts

Rich in magnesium, fiber, potassium, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, vitamin K1, and vitamin E, avocados are also loaded with monounsaturated fats, which are crazily good for health. Due to the high content of the powerful nutrients usually found in plants called phytonutrients, avocados stimulate the healing process of the whole body. Just a single organic avocado contains more than 20 essential nutrients.

150 grams or a cup of avocado (cubed) contains:

15 g of monounsaturated or “good” fats;
2.7 g of polyunsaturated fats;
3.2 g of saturated fats;
10 g of fiber (or 40% of RDI);
728 mg of potassium (or 20% of RDI);
3 g of protein (or 6% of RDI);
4% of RDI of vitamin A;
1 % of RDI of calcium;
25% of RDI of vitamin C;
20% of RDI of vitamin B6;
4% of RDI of iron;
11% of RDI of magnesium;
11 mg of sodium;
1 g of sugar;
0 mg of cholesterol;
around 240 calories.

15 Best Health Benefits of Avocado

Whether raw, baked, fried, or pickled, avocado does boast tons of awesome health benefits.

Sure, it’s best to eat it raw to reap maximum benefits. Multiple researches have been conducted to prove the biggest health benefits avocado has and after many years of various studies, here are the greatest perks of eating one avocado a day:

1.Keep your skin soft and young for longer

The majority of modern women under 40 suffer from premature skin aging and even 20 something girls already have fine lines and wrinkles.

Whether it’s because of air pollution, stress, or disease, the reality is premature aging can affect anyone regardless of age.

Take immediate actions and ward off the early skin aging by including avocado in your daily meal plan.

Mexican researchers have shown that a regular intake of organic avocado oil helps to fight harmful free radicals, which are among the major culprits of premature skin aging.(1)

Researchers concluded that both avocado and avocado oil also helps to prevent chronic degenerative diseases and keep the skin healthy and young for longer.

2.Ward off stress and oxidation

One of the biggest triggers of most diseases and conditions, stress has been thriving for years worldwide.

Even though there are tons of medications that claim to help you cope with stress at the end of each hectic day, they treat or cure the problem; they only worsen it.

Avocado is a rich source of the powerful anti-inflammatory compounds like phenolics and the potent antioxidants, which combine together and become an effective weapon against chronic stress.

Moreover, the nutrients in avocado aids in protecting the body against oxidation, promoting a better healing and reducing the risk of cancer.

3.Decrease the risk of developing a metabolic syndrome

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey proved that both women and men who consumed ripe avocados on a regular basis reduced their risks for developing a metabolic syndrome almost twice.(2)

The metabolic syndrome has been linked for years to coronary artery disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, and cancer.

The results of the study also concluded that eating one avocado a day can significantly boost the entire nutrient intake and diet quality. Researchers believe it’s because avocado is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, phytochemicals, dietary fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.

4.Improve your brain health

The group of researchers from the Harvard University reported that good fats or monounsaturated fatty acids, which are found in avocados, help to keep the great memory and improve the thinking abilities.

The ‘bad’ fats, on the contrary, can gradually ruin your brain function and trigger some serious conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.(3)

Another research concluded that the leaves of avocado have an anti-convulsant impact on the seizures by increasing neurotransmission and enhancing the actions in your brain.

Since it’s impossible to completely avoid bad fats, adding more good ones will help to keep the balance and reverse any side effects the bad fats have.

5.Reduce the cholesterol levels

Like I said above, avocados have zero cholesterol and it’s the great news for those with heart disease heredity.

The high cholesterol levels can lead to a number of heart diseases and other serious conditions. But, eating at least one avocado per day can drastically decrease your cholesterol levels.

A study done in Mexico revealed that adding avocados to a reduced fat vegetarian or vegan diet can aid in maintaining the healthy cholesterol levels. Therefore, avocado is excellent in lowering the risk factor of developing heart disease.

6.Keep your heart health healthy

Speaking of cardiovascular diseases, avocado is a super heart-healthy. The fatty acids found in avocado are vital for your cardiovascular health.

A small yet important research indicated that organic avocado oil contains up to of 70% the monounsaturated fatty acids, 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids, and 16% saturated fatty acids, which all aid in improving the blood lipid profiles and boosting the bioavailability of the fat-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals.

If you’re serious about enhancing your cardiovascular health, fall in love with avocado.

7.Ease the arthritis pain

Okay, avocado won’t replace any medications that your doctor prescribes you for treating arthritis, but it can ease the discomfort and pain arthritis may cause.

According to a research (4) conducted by several groups of scientists from California, osteoarthritis is a serious condition that causes mild to severe pain disease and triggers a partial or full disability.

The vitamins, minerals, and other compounds in avocados aid in reducing the pain and stiffness while improving the joint function at the same time.

8.Promote a better absorption of antioxidants

There are hundreds of foods rich in powerful antioxidants but it doesn’t mean that your body receives those antioxidants in the right amounts. Oftentimes, the digestive system has difficulty in supplying the body with antioxidants.

That’s mainly because of poor antioxidant and nutrient absorption.

Avocado can help your digestive system and enhance absorption of antioxidants. The scientists have conducted a lot of studies to prove this fact and concluded that adding raw avocado or avocado oil to salads or other antioxidant-rich meals can significantly boost the antioxidant and nutrient absorption process.

Consuming avocados with other veggies has been proven to increase the amounts of antioxidants and nutrients you consume.

9.Maintain good eye health

Like mentioned above, avocado is over-brimming with antioxidants, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for proper eye health.

Additionally, the carotenoids found in avocado help to prevent and treat cataracts, as well as reduce the risk factor of developing a macular degeneration. People who spend a lot of time in front of the screens – either watching TV or working – should eat at least 2 avocados each day to keep their eyes healthy.

10.Lose weight faster

People who are slim by nature don’t believe in the weight loss abilities of avocado. However, people with weight issues who have hard times losing at least 5 pounds during the week can benefit from a regular avocado consumption. Even though avocado is high in fats, it doesn’t make you put on pounds.

According to a recent research, fiber and healthy fats in avocados help to tame frequent hunger pangs and enhance the feelings of a full satiety.(5)

Whether you crave something sweet or savory, you can make an avocado ice cream or avocado chocolate cake or just have an avocado toast of your choice. The avocado smoothie is another excellent option – especially for breakfast. It will prevent you from feeling hungry till your lunch.

Don’t forget about moderation, though. Dieters should eat not more than 2 avocados per day.

11.Ward off kidney damage and liver disease

Avocados are fortified with antioxidants and oleic acid, which are vital for your kidney and liver health.

Multiple researches have been done to figure out the way avocado can aid in preventing liver disease and kidney damage.

The avocado oil can also lower the risk of kidney damage, which is linked to diabetes. It can help the diabetic liver to properly function.

12.Reduce the risk of most types of cancers

No cure has been found to treat cancer easily, but prevention is the best treatment.

Avocado can’t ruin the cancer cells, however, it can boost your immunity and the body’s ability to resist a cancer development.

Few studies have been done to prove the fact that eating avocado can combat all types of cancers, but scientists from the University of California have managed to find out that avocado extract can inhibit the growth of the cells associated with prostate cancer.(6)

Indian research done by Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital and Research Centre also showed that consuming avocado on a regular basis helps to decrease the negative effects triggered by chemotherapy in lymphocytes in human’s body.

13.Increase your intake of potassium

While banana is considered as a highly rich potassium food, avocado has a richer amount of potassium than it.

One medium-sized banana provides the body with about 10% of RDI of potassium while avocado has 14% of RDI of this nutrient.

The study indicated that those who receive a recommended daily intake of potassium have healthier blood pressure, a stronger heart and a decreased risk factor of kidney failure than people deficient in potassium.

14.Fight the bacteria in the mouth

Poor dental care can cause many issues, including bad breath. Bacteria in the mouth, poor indigestion, or an upset stomach are the leading causes of bad breath.

Avocados are chock full of flavonoids, which provide potent antibacterial and antioxidant properties, aiding in improving the digestion, killing the bacteria in the mouth, and providing a better breath. Some studies suggest that avocado consumption can ward off oral cancer.

15.Live longer

Avocado is life – literally. If you want to live longer, have one avocado a day. It’s one of those foods that promote healthy aging and boost longevity.

The powerful component in avocado called xanthophyll helps the body to regenerate and heal faster and look and feel healthier. Not to mention that avocado helps to delay the aging process.

Can a Pregnant Woman Consume Avocado?

This is one of the biggest questions concerning avocado. There are many myths that avocado consumption is toxic for pregnant women, but the truth is, you can eat avocado in moderation regardless of your trimester. More and more studies have been conducting to debunk the myths about avocados. Some researchers claim that avocado is a must-eat for expecting and even new moms.

Apart from healthy fats, avocado is plentiful in an essential B vitamin, folate, which aids in decreasing the likelihood of birth defects. Moreover, all those vitamins and minerals in avocado are critical for both a fetus and expecting mother.

Avocado junkies don’t need a reason to eat this miracle food each day, but now that you know some of the best health benefits of avocado, you might want to incorporate it in your weekly diet as well.

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