The top health benefits of avocados
The top health benefits of avocados are many given their that they contain good fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytosterols. Consuming them regularly may help boost heart health, improve digestion, enhance liver health, and aid in weight management. Avocado also helps keep the eyes healthy due to its high lutein content and protects the skin from signs of aging.
One research study shows that the consumption of avocado can lead to improved diet quality and nutrient intake, including a lowered risk of metabolic syndrome. Another research study explains that avocado seeds can be used for managing diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and hypertension, as well as for improving hypercholesterolemia. These seeds come in the form of organic avocado seed powder and supplements, which can be added to soups, smoothies, and drinks.
Avocado Nutrition
Avocados are considered a “superfood” and are rich in various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They are also a good source of (healthy) monounsaturated fatty acids. According to CAC (California Avocado Commission), a medium-sized California Hass avocado contains almost 22.5 grams fat. Two-thirds of this fat is of the monounsaturated variety, and they are also very low in fructose. Perhaps most importantly, avocados have a unique collection of organic compounds like phytosterols, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, avocados contain minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. They also have high levels of vitamin A, K, C, E, B6, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin (vitamins B1, B2, B3, respectively).
Avocados provide potassium and help balance the potassium to sodium ratio, which is vital for overall health. They are also a good source of energy.
Furthermore, they are a great source of dietary fiber, and a single serving can provide more than 40 percent of the daily requirement!
Avocado Calories
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, avocado is a good source of calories along with other key nutrients.
· 100 grams of avocado (raw) contains about 160 calories
· 1 cup (150 grams) of avocado (raw) contain 250 calories
Health Benefits of Avocado
Avocados are most beneficial when eaten raw, and are great for your health when incorporated into a balanced and healthy diet. They have numerous health benefits, both as a food and as an addition to natural skin-care products. Some of the well-researched and important health benefits of avocados are as follows:
Promotes Healthy Heart
Beta-sitosterol, which is found in avocados, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Research studies showed that laboratory rats who were given avocado for 5 weeks as a part of their daily meal had about 27 percent lower triglyceride plasma levels and their HDL (good) cholesterol was 17 percent higher as compared to a control group who did not consume avocado. This is one reason why eating avocados daily can help in protecting the heart from atherosclerosis.
Good Source of Potassium
Avocados are a good source of potassium. These significant levels of potassium make avocados a powerful fruit in the fight against hypertension.
Potassium is one of the minerals that help in maintaining a normal heart rate. [8] According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, potassium-rich foods can reduce pathogenic vascular calcification, which is the hardening of arteries. Dr. Paul Sanders from the University of Alabama at Birmingham led research which concluded that eating potassium-rich foods like avocados and bananas reduces the tension of blood vessels and arteries, regulating blood pressure. This, in turn, may help reduce the risk of clotting, heart attacks, and strokes.
Further, potassium helps in maintaining fluid balance through chemical channels for cells and organs. This balance of fluid is also vital for the functioning of the kidney, which handles the movement of fluid and toxins through the body.
Aids in Digestion
Avocados are soothing for the intestine and aid in digestion. They contain soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which help to keep the digestive system running smoothly. These types of fiber are very important for digestion because they bulk up stools and help ensure the smooth passage of food through the intestinal tract.
Finally, they reduce the symptoms from conditions like constipation and diarrhea. All in all, the huge amount of fiber found in avocados (40 percent of one’s daily requirement per serving) makes this a very important food for optimizing your digestive health.
Improves Vision
Avocados can help keep your eyes healthy. They contain carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known to protect eyes against cataracts, eye diseases related to age, and macular degeneration. These conditions are often caused by free radicals that accumulate in the tissues of the eyes. The antioxidant activity of these special carotenoids in avocados neutralize the effects of those dangerous free radicals.
Skin and Hair Care
Avocados are packed with nutrients that are beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. It enriches skin that is dry, chapped or damaged. They are added to a variety of cosmetics due to their ability to nourish the skin with essential vitamins and make it glow. It is also used for nourishing dry and damaged hair. Many people use avocados to prepare skin and hair masks.
Above all, avocado oil provides relief from plaque psoriasis. Beta-carotene and lycopene are two organic compounds found in avocados. Both of these have been connected to improving the health and tone of your skin and eliminating signs of premature aging.
Relieves Arthritis Pain
The anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are perhaps its most valuable attribute. Between the wide range of phytochemicals, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty alcohols, and omega-3 fatty acids it contains, avocados are one of the best foods for reducing the inflammation in tissues, joints, and muscles. A 2010 research study from the journal the Physician and sports medicine showed that 300mg of avocado and soybean-based nutritional supplement appears to be beneficial for patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Prevents Bad Breath
Consumption of avocados helps in preventing bad breath, which is primarily caused due to indigestion or an upset stomach. Halitosis can be eliminated by improving the root cause, digestive health; the antibacterial and antioxidant flavonoids found in avocados also kill the bacteria in your mouth that can result in bad breath.
Liver Care
The chemicals contained in avocados appear to be very good at reducing liver damage. These organic compounds help in improving liver health. Liver damage can be caused by several factors, with Hepatitis C being the main one. Findings of a research study published by the American Chemical Society suggest that avocados may play a major role in toning up and protecting your liver from a wide variety of conditions.
Vitamin K Deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency is not very common but may be seen in neonatal care. It may lead to a bleeding disorder known as vitamin K deficiency-related bleeding (VKDB). This occurs mostly due to an insufficient intake of vitamin K by the mother during pregnancy.
One research study shows that the consumption of avocado can lead to improved diet quality and nutrient intake, including a lowered risk of metabolic syndrome. Another research study explains that avocado seeds can be used for managing diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and hypertension, as well as for improving hypercholesterolemia. These seeds come in the form of organic avocado seed powder and supplements, which can be added to soups, smoothies, and drinks.
Avocado Nutrition
Avocados are considered a “superfood” and are rich in various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They are also a good source of (healthy) monounsaturated fatty acids. According to CAC (California Avocado Commission), a medium-sized California Hass avocado contains almost 22.5 grams fat. Two-thirds of this fat is of the monounsaturated variety, and they are also very low in fructose. Perhaps most importantly, avocados have a unique collection of organic compounds like phytosterols, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, avocados contain minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. They also have high levels of vitamin A, K, C, E, B6, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin (vitamins B1, B2, B3, respectively).
Avocados provide potassium and help balance the potassium to sodium ratio, which is vital for overall health. They are also a good source of energy.
Furthermore, they are a great source of dietary fiber, and a single serving can provide more than 40 percent of the daily requirement!
Avocado Calories
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, avocado is a good source of calories along with other key nutrients.
· 100 grams of avocado (raw) contains about 160 calories
· 1 cup (150 grams) of avocado (raw) contain 250 calories
Health Benefits of Avocado
Avocados are most beneficial when eaten raw, and are great for your health when incorporated into a balanced and healthy diet. They have numerous health benefits, both as a food and as an addition to natural skin-care products. Some of the well-researched and important health benefits of avocados are as follows:
Promotes Healthy Heart
Beta-sitosterol, which is found in avocados, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Research studies showed that laboratory rats who were given avocado for 5 weeks as a part of their daily meal had about 27 percent lower triglyceride plasma levels and their HDL (good) cholesterol was 17 percent higher as compared to a control group who did not consume avocado. This is one reason why eating avocados daily can help in protecting the heart from atherosclerosis.
Good Source of Potassium
Avocados are a good source of potassium. These significant levels of potassium make avocados a powerful fruit in the fight against hypertension.
Potassium is one of the minerals that help in maintaining a normal heart rate. [8] According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, potassium-rich foods can reduce pathogenic vascular calcification, which is the hardening of arteries. Dr. Paul Sanders from the University of Alabama at Birmingham led research which concluded that eating potassium-rich foods like avocados and bananas reduces the tension of blood vessels and arteries, regulating blood pressure. This, in turn, may help reduce the risk of clotting, heart attacks, and strokes.
Further, potassium helps in maintaining fluid balance through chemical channels for cells and organs. This balance of fluid is also vital for the functioning of the kidney, which handles the movement of fluid and toxins through the body.
Aids in Digestion
Avocados are soothing for the intestine and aid in digestion. They contain soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which help to keep the digestive system running smoothly. These types of fiber are very important for digestion because they bulk up stools and help ensure the smooth passage of food through the intestinal tract.
Finally, they reduce the symptoms from conditions like constipation and diarrhea. All in all, the huge amount of fiber found in avocados (40 percent of one’s daily requirement per serving) makes this a very important food for optimizing your digestive health.
Improves Vision
Avocados can help keep your eyes healthy. They contain carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known to protect eyes against cataracts, eye diseases related to age, and macular degeneration. These conditions are often caused by free radicals that accumulate in the tissues of the eyes. The antioxidant activity of these special carotenoids in avocados neutralize the effects of those dangerous free radicals.
Skin and Hair Care
Avocados are packed with nutrients that are beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. It enriches skin that is dry, chapped or damaged. They are added to a variety of cosmetics due to their ability to nourish the skin with essential vitamins and make it glow. It is also used for nourishing dry and damaged hair. Many people use avocados to prepare skin and hair masks.
Above all, avocado oil provides relief from plaque psoriasis. Beta-carotene and lycopene are two organic compounds found in avocados. Both of these have been connected to improving the health and tone of your skin and eliminating signs of premature aging.
Relieves Arthritis Pain
The anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are perhaps its most valuable attribute. Between the wide range of phytochemicals, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty alcohols, and omega-3 fatty acids it contains, avocados are one of the best foods for reducing the inflammation in tissues, joints, and muscles. A 2010 research study from the journal the Physician and sports medicine showed that 300mg of avocado and soybean-based nutritional supplement appears to be beneficial for patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Prevents Bad Breath
Consumption of avocados helps in preventing bad breath, which is primarily caused due to indigestion or an upset stomach. Halitosis can be eliminated by improving the root cause, digestive health; the antibacterial and antioxidant flavonoids found in avocados also kill the bacteria in your mouth that can result in bad breath.
Liver Care
The chemicals contained in avocados appear to be very good at reducing liver damage. These organic compounds help in improving liver health. Liver damage can be caused by several factors, with Hepatitis C being the main one. Findings of a research study published by the American Chemical Society suggest that avocados may play a major role in toning up and protecting your liver from a wide variety of conditions.
Vitamin K Deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency is not very common but may be seen in neonatal care. It may lead to a bleeding disorder known as vitamin K deficiency-related bleeding (VKDB). This occurs mostly due to an insufficient intake of vitamin K by the mother during pregnancy.