This creamy fruit has risen to be one of America’s favorite foods, especially in the last 20 years. You can find them everywhere from farmers markets to grocery stores. And, in fact, in 2015, Americans were consuming avocados so much, The Washington Post had to dub them “America’s new favorite fruit.”
But how much do you know about this superfood? There’s so much avocados can do for your body and in today’s article, we’re going to list just ten of them to whet your appetite for this fruit a little.
Without further ado, let’s get to it.
#1 Avocados Work Wonders for the Heart
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay. But you could also say the same for avocados. If you want to keep your cardiologist away, then you might want to start consuming more avocados.
Why are avocados so good for the heart? Well, it’s primarily because of their fat content. And we know what you’re thinking “in what world can fat ever be good for the heart?” Well, avocados contain the good kind of fat which can help to care for the heart and protect it from the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other similar cardiovascular diseases.
Also, because avocados have a high fat content, when you take them with other foods, they help to bring down the sugar spike in the blood that usually follows the intake of foods, especially carbs.
Now, the kind of fats found in avocados are called monounsaturated fats. As we mentioned earlier, these are healthy fats and they help to kick out the bad cholesterol called LDL while increasing the good cholesterol called HDL.
Another wonderful thing about avocados that makes them really great for the heart is their high potassium content. Bananas are the fruits chiefly praised for their potassium content but did you know that avocados have a higher potassium content than bananas? Yes, they do. And potassium is a very important mineral that helps to lower blood pressure and prevent strokes as well.
Besides potassium, avocados contain other vitamins and minerals, like folate for example, which can also help the heart as well as other vital organs like the brain and the spinal cord.
#2 Up Your Skin Game With Avocados
Avocados are one of those very rare natural skin care agents that suit all skin types. It’s hard to believe but it’s true. Avocados are bursting with beneficial nutrients that can address a host of skin concerns in all skin types. And what’s even more interesting is the fact that you can get these benefits regardless of how you use the avocados, whether you ingest them or, better yet, apply them topically to your skin.
Avocados contain natural oils which penetrate deep into your skin, leaving it nourished, soft, and hydrated. By hydrating your skin, avocados reduce your chances of developing wrinkles and fine lines. They also smoothen your skin and help your skin develop resilience against stress and certain environmental factors.
Particularly, avocados contain vitamins E and C which are antioxidants that help to protect your cells from the damage of free radicals which often leads to aging. They also contain lutein which maintains your skin’s elasticity as well as chlorophyll and oleic acid which help to fight inflammation.
#3 Avocados Aren’t Just Great for Your Skin, They Are Great for Your Hair and Nails Too
Avocados are a wonderful multivitamin supplement full of every kind of mineral and vitamin you could possibly need. Avocado not only contains biotin which helps to keep your hair looking lustrous and your nails shiny, it also contains vitamins B and E.
Vitamins B and E are really great for your hair, thanks to their ability to keep your hair from drying out or getting damaged. They also help to minimize hair loss and repair a damaged scalp as well.
Simply mash your avocados into a bowl and apply directly onto your hair like your regular mask. And for extra shine, you can also apply some avocado oil to your hair to help correct dryness and flaking.
#4 Avocados Can Help to Fight Stress
After a rough day at work, your body needs some help getting refreshed and rejuvenated. Instead of reaching out for a cup of coffee, why not grab an avocado? It’s loaded with nutrients, especially magnesium which is known as an anti-stress mineral.
When you take in magnesium, it helps to relieve your body of tension and also helps you to get quality sleep when you go to bed at night. And as you know, a relaxed body and mind is key to a more positive and productive life.
If you can’t think of a recipe, here’s one you can try. Turn your avocado into an edible bowl! Simply cut the fruit into half and fill one half with your choice of healthy snacks. It could be quinoa salad or chickpeas, whatever you prefer. Now, enjoy a delicious midday snack and feel refreshed afterward.
#5 Supercharge Your Brain With Avocados
The healthy fats in avocados as well as the folate, copper, vitamin C and vitamin E contained in avocados make excellent brain foods.
If you didn’t already know, your brain is more than 60% fat. So, for your brain to function properly, it needs fat, the right kind of fat, however, and avocado is rich in such fats. The presence of fat and fiber also helps to balance your blood sugar levels, enabling you to stay focused and mentally alert throughout the day.
Here’s another recipe to try. You could saute your favorite greens in avocado oil. The good thing about avocado oil is that it is completely flavorless. Plus, it comes with a high smoke point when you compare it to other kinds of oil. This is what makes it an altogether safer choice for sauteing whenever you need to use high heat.
#6 Avocados Are an Excellent Weight Loss Supplement
Fiber is an important nutrient on any weight loss menu as it keeps you feeling full for longer so you don’t overeat. Guess what? Avocados are packed full of fiber, in fact, far more than many other kinds of fruit.
Eating an avocado is not just filling, it’s great for your digestive health as well. It also helps you detoxify your system and increase the amount of good bacteria in your gut which are important to ensure that you digest your food better. If you’re looking to lose some weight, then you definitely want to take advantage of these benefits all brought to you by avocados.
Besides all of these important benefits, avocados also contain monounsaturated fat, primarily oleic acid. Oleic acid triggers gremlin, the hormone that makes you feel full. This automatically reduces your cravings and keeps you from overeating. In fact, consistent and moderate eating of avocados can help you lower your BMI and body weight, as well as slim down your waistline.
Just remember that avocados are high in fat and calories so make sure you take it with moderation. The good thing is that with avocados, for the most part, even a little amount goes a really long way.
#7 You Might Be Able to Fix Metabolic Syndrome with Avocados
Metabolic syndrome is a bunch of conditions, hence the name syndrome, that occur together and increase your chances of debilitating diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and stroke. Some of the conditions linked to metabolic syndrome include high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high body mass index, BMI.
According to research published in the journal, Phytotherapy Research, in 2017, it was found that avocados can help to combat this syndrome. How? Well, avocados possess lipid-lowering, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, and cardioprotective properties. As such, a moderate ingestion of avocados can help to reverse metabolic syndrome.
#8 Avocados Help Your Muscles Repair and Recover Faster
After your workout session, try grabbing an avocado as a post-workout snack. It’s filling and contains all the nine essential amino acids which help in the synthesis of proteins. Your muscles need these proteins to repair and recover properly.
If you need recipe ideas, here’s one. Try chopping up an avocado and tossing it into a salad. You can then dress with whatever you like using avocado oil as a base.
#9 Avocados Boost Eyesight
Avocados are great for your eyes as they sharpen your vision. The protein primarily responsible for this is lutein. Lutein is a carotenoid and it has been found to promote healthy vision in humans.
Besides, avocados also have a high fat content which helps your body absorb and utilize carotenoids as well as other fat-soluble vitamins from other foods eaten together.
#10 Avocados Are Great for Pregnant Women
There was a study carried out in 2016 and published in the journal, Nutrients. Conclusions from that study revealed that avocados are rich in potassium and folate as we’ve already seen. Two vital nutrients that are typically lacking in maternal diets. So, avocados can make a great, all-natural supplement.
Other nutrients contained in avocados that are great for nursing mothers include monounsaturated fats, fiber, as well as fat-soluble antioxidants. All of these nutrients have been shown to boost maternal health, boost birth outcomes, and improve the quality of breast milk.
If you weren’t before, you should by now be entirely convinced about avocados. They are a nutrient-dense superfood and one of the rare ones to serve the body whether ingested or applied topically. So, what are you waiting for? Go grab some!
