It's common knowledge that avocados contain healthy fats, but what about the rest of avocado nutrition? The health benefits of avocados extend beyond just their fat content!
Learn about avocado nutrition, including avocado's protein, fat, and fiber content right here. Also, read on to find deliciously easy avocado recipes!
Avocado Nutrition
Most fruits are primarily carbohydrate-rich, but avocados are different. They are known for having loads of healthy monounsaturated fats. As a cholesterol and sodium-free food, avocados are also low in saturated fat, which is recommended to be consumed in smaller amounts.
The nutritional value of an avocado based on a 100-gram serving includes:
• 167 calories
• 15 grams (g) total fat
• 10g monounsaturated fatty acids
• 2g polyunsaturated fatty acids
• 9g carbohydrate
• 7g dietary fiber
• 2g protein
Health Benefits of Avocado
So, why exactly are avocados recommended for many health conditions? From weight loss to heart disease, here are 10 reasons why avocados are considered exceptionally healthy foods.
1. Avocados Are Nutrient-Rich
With 20 different nutrients, avocados are packed with vitamins and minerals. Some important nutrients it contains include:
• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin E
These nutrients help maintain health, hormone balance, and more.
2. Avocados Are an Easy & Healthy Substitute
Nutritionally, avocados can be a nutrient-rich substitute for higher-fat and higher-sodium options. For example, in a sandwich one can replace spreads higher in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium with creamy, delicious mashed avocado.
3. Avocados Make a Delicious Sugar-Free Addition
Avocados are deliciously sugar-free. Plus, they contain higher amounts of dietary fiber. This can help to balance blood sugar levels because avocados have a low number of net carbs (see #6)!
4. Avocados Are a Filling Food
Healthy fats help induce a feeling of fullness to dishes and meals. Avocados are a prime example and can create a heart-healthy dish without sacrificing flavor. This makes them a great food to add to weight management programs or weight loss dietary patterns.
5. Avocados Have Good Flavor & Creamy Texture
Avocados are often thought of more as a standby ingredient. However, a good guacamole brings avocados to centerstage. Their creamy texture and irresistible flavor make them worthy of focus as a food in the spotlight.
6. Avocados Are Low-Carb & High Fiber
Most fruits are high in carbohydrates. However, like identified above, avocados supply 9 grams of carbs and 7 of those are fiber.
This equals 2 net carbs, or the total carb minus fiber. This makes it really low in carbohydrates and great for controlling blood sugars.
7. Avocados Are High In Potassium
Bananas usually come to mind when people think of potassium. However, avocados are a food that has more potassium than a banana does!
Potassium is an important nutrient that most people don’t get enough of. Just one 3.5-ounce serving of avocado accounts for 14% of the daily potassium recommendation.
8. Avocados Can Help Lower Cholesterol
Studies show that avocados can help reduce the risk of elevated blood markers associated with an increased risk of heart disease. In other words, avocados are "heart-healthy" and can help reduce the risk of heart disease by:
• Reducing total cholesterol levels
• Lowering LDL ("bad" cholesterol)
• Increasing HDL ("good" cholesterol)
• Reducing blood triglyceride levels
• Lowering inflammatory markers
• Lowering blood pressure
9. Avocados Contribute To Overall Healthy Lifestyle
It’s likely that people who eat avocados eat healthier overall. A study recently showed that consumers of avocado were healthier than their counterparts who didn’t consume the fruit regularly.
10. Avocados Improve Nutrient Absorption
Fat-soluble nutrients, vitamins A, D, E, and K, require healthy fats for optimal absorption. Avocados can not only help increase absorption of other vitamins, but it also offers incredible nutrient value all on their own.
Improving nutrient absorption can help the body reap all the potential benefits of vitamins and minerals.
11. Avocados Supply Powerful Antioxidants
Avocados are antioxidant-rich, which can help protect the body against damage down to the cellular level. They are even known to protect against the effects of eye disease and may help ease the process of aging.
Studies even show that the antioxidant properties in avocado might inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.
12. Avocados May Be Anti-Inflammatory
Studies suggest that avocados can reduce the symptoms linked to arthritis. Avocados supply antioxidants to the diet and also help foods high in antioxidants to be better absorbed. This ultimately means less cell injury and inflammation in the body.
13. Avocados Are Easy to Add To The Diet
Simply learn how to safely cut them, and it's incredibly easy to add avocados to the diet! Guacamole is probably the most obvious, but their creamy texture makes avocados a lovely addition to dressings, salads, and even desserts.
Keep reading for some of the most delicious avocado recipes ever!
Deliciously Satisfying Avocado Recipes
With so many uses and recipes for avocados, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are some of the best avocado recipes to jumpstart any health journey today.
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is all the rage these days - and for good reason! With so many variations, they hit the spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and really all occasions.
Some of the best avocado toast toppings include eggs, goat cheese, honey, salmon, and so much more. Have fun experimenting with flavor combos that excite your tastebuds!
Edamole (Guacamole + Edamame)
Blend two nutritious foods together with edamole. It’s a high protein and fiber combination that is also an easy crowd-pleaser. Creamy and healthy, this lower fat and lower calorie option is still incredibly filling.
Fresh Salsa
One of the only downsides of avocados is that they need to be used up during a certain window of ripeness. Fresh tomato salsa with avocados easily elevates any party or game-day dish. With under 10 ingredients, it makes for a quick chips and dip dish.
Avocado Salad with Shrimp
Mason jar salads are convenient, sustainable, and nutritious! They are also entirely versatile to harness favorite flavors and fresh ingredients.
One delicious combo includes an avocado shrimp salad. Simply layer the following from bottom to top: lime juice, olive oil, diced bell peppers, sliced avocado, deveined and cooked shrimp, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.
Ice Cream
Avocado in ice cream? The creamy avocado flesh makes it a natural component of this frozen confection. Try avocado ice cream today to see just how delicious it is.
Fudgy Brownies
Low calorie and low carbohydrate brownies? It’s 100% real! Healthy avocado brownies are rich, filling, and virtually guilt-free due to the avocado adding extra nutrients.
Recapping the Almighty Avocados
From avocado toast to a sandwich companion to dinner and dessert ingredients, avocados are healthy additions to dishes no matter how one slices them. Incredibly versatile and easy to add to a plate, avocados have fabulous health properties.
Such nutritious and delicious qualities make avocados a no-brainer in terms of adding them to a healthy dietary pattern today!
References:
Cedars-Sinai Staff. In Case You Need a Reason to Eat More Avocado. Cedars Senai. Published September 26, 2017. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/healthy-and-delicious-avocado.html.
Gunnars K. 12 Proven Health Benefits of Avocado. Healthline. Published June 29, 2018. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado.
Avocado Nutrition Facts Label. Hass Avocado Board. Love One Today. https://loveonetoday.com/nutrition/avocado-nutrition-facts-label/.
Robinson K. What Are the Health Benefits of Avocado, and Can It Help You Lose Weight? Everyday Health. Published July 12, 2019. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/avocados-health-benefits-nutrition-facts-weight-loss-info-more/.
