Health Benefits of Avocado – Healthy, Fatty, Caloric Fruit
Long held in a bad rap for its high fat and calorie contents, avocado is actually a healthy fruit that delivers nourishing benefits to the body.
Indeed, about 85% of avocado’s calories come from fats, which is about 20 times higher than most other fruits.
However, avocado’s fats are the good ones that in reality work very hard to do, among many things, the following:
- heal and prevent damages to the heart and cardiovascular system
- address a range of inflammation problems in the body
- supply a host of antioxidants that fight damage-causing and disease-triggering free radicals
- regulate blood sugar levels
- provide cancer-preventive actions
Avocado is high in fat but this fat is good for the heart because it is mostly monounsaturated.
Avocado is high in calories but its calorie content cannot make us fat the way pizzas, hamburgers, ice creams, cakes, chips, and fried chickens do.
In point of fact, avocado has been a staple in a well-balanced diet that incorporates beneficial fats.
It is also packed with essential nutrients that do a myriad of wonders for our health.
Some of the nutrients it has include:
- Fiber
- Folate
- Potassium
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
Now, below is a discussion of some of the compelling reasons for folding in the healthy, fatty, and caloric avocado to our daily diet.
Avocado for Weight Loss and Control
Contrary to the undeserved flack it receives, avocado is highly recommended to people who would like to either lose or maintain their weight.
Avocado has good fats that stoke our body’s abilities to torch bad fats.
Its fat is monounsaturated fat and such monounsaturated fat ramps up our metabolism the natural way.
The high healthy fat content of avocado also suppresses our hunger by sending signals to our brain that we are still full.
The feeling of fullness that avocado gives lasts for an extended period of time, stopping us from overeating and binging and ultimately aiding us in our weight management efforts.
The nutrients in avocado also keep our body well-nourished during the times we are on a diet or actively doing exercise, contributing greatly to our overall health.
Certainly, limiting calorie intake and shunning healthy fats are all gimmicks.
Exercise coupled with healthy eating, in which avocado is essential, can bring in success in weight loss and management over the long term.
Avocado and Nutrition
Nutrition trounces calories when it comes to considering the health benefits of the avocado fruit.
Avocado has the following nutrients:
- Carotenoids – antioxidants that guard the body against free radicals that cause, among many damages, certain kinds of cancer
- Flavonoids – antioxidants that can also prevent cancer, lower bad cholesterol, as well as deliver anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-allergenic benefits
- Phytosterols – compounds that protect the skin from various damages, prevent the development of cancer, and lower bad cholesterol levels
- Polyhydroxylated Fatty Alcohols – nutrients that have anti-inflammation properties that address problems related to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Alpha-linolenic Acid – a form of omega-3 fatty acid that can improve colon health as well as prevent cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke
- Oleic Acid – a monounsaturated fatty acid that can boost energy levels, enhance cardiovascular health, improve brain power, and even make the skin and hair healthy.
Avocado and Healthful Fiber
Fiber has become one of the most important components of a healthy diet that can help prevent chronic diseases like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, as well as gallstones and kidney stones.
It can also help in weight management.
Good thing, avocado is packed with fiber – both soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber can lower bad cholesterol and therefore help people suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Insoluble fiber sweeps the intestines clean, thereby eliminating toxins and preventing the onset of colon cancer. It also promotes good bowel movement.
Avocado and Overall Health
Much negative natter has been made against avocado.
Regrettably, the natter is based on the misunderstanding that all kinds of fat is bad and the thinking that a food needs to have low calories for it to be beneficial to the health.
Research after research has shown that the avocado fruit is actually wholesome for its healthy fats and despite its relatively high calorie count.
Copyright © 2012 Kerlyn Bautista
All Rights Reserved
