Justifying my avocado intake
As a kid, there was no way I would eat avocado; but as an adult, the story couldn’t be more different. It is definitely a staple in my diet, and one that I struggle to do without! As I began to notice how many avocados I am eating my way through each week, I thought I had better look further into what is contained within this one food. To my relief, there are even more nutritional benefits to avocados than I had known about.
I usually consume half an avocado at any given time, and this is the average according to US population surveys. This serving size provides 4.6 grams of fibre, 10.5 grams of fat and a nice amount of potassium, folate, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K1, as well as B vitamins and choline, and almost no sugar.
The spectrum of fatty acids in avocado supports weight management, promotes hormone production, improves blood sugar control and increases the feeling of satiation after eating. These fats also contribute the building blocks for the membranes of every single one of our cells, and are especially valuable for the functioning of our brain, which itself is 60% fat. They also enhance the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E and K – which are important antioxidants and nutrients that help with immune and skin health. Despite knowing that fat is beneficial to health, I was worried that I was overdoing it – however half an avocado contains one-third less fat than a handful of almonds.
The array of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients contained within avocado combine to greatly benefit the cardiovascular system by reducing blood pressure, improving the composition of blood lipids and having an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Research has shown that avocado may stabilize arterial plaques, and can slow and reverse the oxidation of cholesterol (which is considered a major contributor to atherosclerosis).
Avocados are a great food to consider for promoting eye health. Our eyes contain sensitive cells and tiny blood vessels that are very susceptible to damage from UV light, blue light from electronic devices and even environmental pollution. Avocados are a great source of the “master antioxidant” glutathione and several carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin, which are taken up by the macula in the eye and help to protect against oxidative damage and the deterioration of eye function that tends to happen with age. The quantity of carotenoids is greatest in the darker green flesh close to the peel, so make sure to scrape it all out!
I also find it exciting that avocado contains quercetin, rutin, resveratrol and EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) which are flavonoids that have antioxidant properties. These compounds promote heart, brain and skin health, support our gut microbiome and positively influence the expression of our genes. I definitely want to be ingesting some of these compounds every day!
And so, I encourage you to incorporate more avocado into your diet, especially if you are concerned about your metabolic, cardiovascular or eye health, but also to enhance your brain functioning, hormonal health and energy production more generally. Make sure to include it in your salads to improve the absorption of the nutrients in the vegetables. Avocado pairs perfectly with eggs, makes a great dip for sweet potato fries, goes great on rice cakes with S+P for a quick and easy snack – and maybe you’d like to experiment with incorporating it into chocolate desserts too.
References
Ameer, K. (2016). Avocado as a major dietary source of antioxidants and its preventive role in neurodegenerative diseases. Advances in Neurobiology, 12, 337–354.
Dreher, M.L., & Davenport, A.J. (2013). Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 53(7), 738–750.
Tabeshpour, J., Razavi, B.M., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2017). Effects of avocado (Persea americana) on metabolic syndrome: A comprehensive systematic review. Phytotherapy Research, 31(6), 819–837.
This article is intended to provide information, not medical advice. Always speak to your professional healthcare provider before beginning a supplement program or attempting to treat a medical condition.