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Avocados are a well-known superfood. Aside from being delicious, avocados have numerous health benefits ranging from your skin to your heart. Continue reading to learn more about avocado nutrition and why they are so beneficial to your health.
Avocados are not only delicious, but they are also extremely filling and help to keep your body healthy. You may be wondering if avocados are healthy, especially since they are high in fat. And while they are, it is the good kind of fat, and the nutrition facts of an avocado are quite impressive overall.
However, the nutritional benefits of avocados extend beyond their calorie content. If guacamole isn’t enough to convince you to eat your avocados, here are four other reasons why they’re so good for you.
Avocado Nutritional Values
One avocado contains approximately 200 calories and 9 grams of fiber. However, it is unlikely that you will consume the entire avocado in one sitting. Here is the nutrition for one-third of an avocado (the serving size):
- 73 kilocalories
- 7g fat
- Carbohydrate content: 4g
- 3g of fiber
- 1 gram protein, 220 milligrams potassium
Weight Loss Assistance
Despite having more calories than most fruits and vegetables, avocados can actually help with weight loss. Over an 11-year period, people with normal BMI who ate more avocado (more than 1/4 cup per day) gained significantly less weight than those who ate less avocado, according to a 2019 study published in Nutrients.
According to researchers who studied over 17,000 American diets, people who regularly eat avocado (about a half an avocado daily) have smaller waists and weigh less.
Another study discovered that eating half an avocado for lunch made people feel full for up to 5 hours afterward.
Maintain Your Heart’s Health
If you want to keep your heart healthy, include avocados in your diet on a regular basis. According to a 2015 review paper, the creamy green food can lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol, two major predictors of heart disease. These heart-healthy benefits are amplified when avocados replace foods high in saturated fats, such as red meat and dairy.
According to a 2019 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, avocados are also effective at removing bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing the good cholesterol (HDL) your body requires.
If you’re craving a burger, try topping it with avocado the next time you make one. Researchers discovered that eating half an avocado with your hamburger reduced inflammation in your blood vessels compared to just eating the burger. Avocados naturally contain cholesterol blockers, which help prevent the absorption of (bad) LDL cholesterol in the gut.
Keep Your Skin and Eyes Safe
Avocados are high in two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to protect your eyes and skin by blocking the sun’s harmful UV rays. Another reason to gorge yourself.
Increase Nutrient Absorption
Unsaturated fats aid in the release of powerful nutrients found in leafy green salads. According to an Ohio State University study, eating an avocado salad increased carotenoid absorption significantly more than eating a salad without avocado. Salsa with avocado (ahem: guacamole!) has similar benefits. So go ahead and dip some chips!
In conclusion
Avocados are popular not only because they taste good, but they are also extremely healthy. They have a variety of potential health benefits, ranging from heart health to weight loss. Try one of our Healthy Avocado Recipes today for more ideas.
