Avocados – The Super Fruit
Avocados have become the topic of many healthy diets and are not only healthy for us, they are low glycemic, low carbs and full of super nutrients like healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and serious phytochemicals making them a “super fruit”.
Avocados have become more popular and the rate of consumption of avocados has doubled over the last ten years with the demand continually growing. Mexico and Latin America are some of the biggest suppliers along with California. Did you know that there are actually over a thousand different types of avocados, but here in the United States, we mainly see the popular Hass avocado most of the time. Although the demand has gone up for this buttery fruit, supplies this year are lower, so you may be paying a higher price for your avocados, but they are well worth it for your health and your body. Here’s a few benefits of Avocados and why we love them so much:
- Stabilizing Blood Sugar and Fighting Metabolic Syndrome
The healthy fats and other nutrition you get from avocados help your body to stabilize blood sugar and insulin, which helps to fight diabetes and metabolic syndrome, as well as contributing to fat loss and muscle building. They are low glycemic; therefore no rise in blood sugar and no fat-storing insulin release. The healthy fat content in avocados makes you feel full longer and cuts down on food cravings, so that makes it a perfect food if you are trying to burn fat and lose weight even though avocados are considered calorically dense. The blood sugar stabilizing effect avocados have also helps to reduce blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
- Cancer Prevention
A study by the Journal of Nutrition and Cancer Institute showed avocados as a major player in fighting cancer and study results showed phytochemicals as powerful as some chemotherapy. In other research, they found that phytochemicals extracted from avocados help induce cancer cell cycle death, inhibit growth, and induce apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines. The abundance of monounsaturated fats in avocados also help fight cancer by being an effective anti-inflammatory agent. Beta-sitosterol also protects the prostate gland in men helping to fight cancer and improve immune functions. And the powerful carotenoids fight skin cancer as well as aging.
- Weight Loss
While avocados typically get bad press because they are calorically dense and high in fats, they are actually a great weight loss food. Diets lower in carbohydrates actually have been shown to help in fat loss, and in reducing hunger because they keep blood sugar and fat-storing insulin in check. Fats are super filling and increase satisfaction that help you eat less overall and they allow you to go longer between meals without getting hungry. That healthy fat also helps your body absorb more fat-burning vitamins and minerals as well.
- Avocados Contain Amazing Fats
Avocados contain a lot of oleic acid which is the same type of healthy fat that is in olive oil. This helps lower bad cholesterol and fight cancers. Unlike saturated fats or highly processed vegetable oils, avocado oil regulates blood sugar, protects the heart as well as the brain. This oleic acid, helps lower cholesterol and is helpful in preventing breast cancer and other cancers.
- Healthy Babies
One medium avocado has about a quarter of the required daily amount of folate, or folic acid, a B vitamin that plays an essential role in making new cells by helping to produce healthy DNA and RNA. Folate is required for pregnant women, and helps lower the risk of birth defects in babies, as well as being important for heart health. Avocados are the perfect baby food as well. They are easily mashable and edible even for babies with no teeth. They are full of healthy nutrition, healthy fats and massive phytochemicals, and their mild taste is something babies love.
- Eye Health
Avocados have alot of carotenoids and lutein, antioxidants that are both valuable for healthy eyes. They also contain zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, plus significant quantities of vitamin E. The oleic acid in avocados helps the body absorb carotenoids and convert to vitamin A, as well as being able to access the antioxidants in other foods as well. The few of the benefits of Carotenoids include lowering inflammation, promoting healthy growth and development, and boosting immunity.
- Skin and Hair
The phtytochemicals and antioxidants in avocados fight damage from the sun and the environment by reducing inflammation and DNA damage. People who eat diets rich in antioxidants as well as healthy fats often have healthier skin with less wrinkles than people who eat the Standard American Diet. In addition, the healthy carotenoids in colorful vegetables, including avocados can add a healthy glow to your skin. You can mash up an avocado and use it as moisturizing and calming face mask because of the oils and vitamins in them. Avocados massive supply of phytonutrients including their polyphenols and flavenoids also help fight osteoarthritis, and other inflammatory degenerative diseases.
Time to add a few avocados to your shopping cart…
