They naturally contain more potassium than bananas! Avocados are rich in nutrients and offer many health benefits nutritionally that you can not get as easily from other foods. They are often referred to as a 'superfood'.
But what can avocados do for our health, really? Read and find out the amazing benefits of adding more avocado to your daily diet.
1. Heart Health
Avocados are full of healthy fats. A healthy fat may sound like an oxymoron, but actually, our bodies need to consume certain fats to stay alive. Healthy fats are monounsaturated, and avocados consist of 60% of these types of fats.
Healthy fats will protect against heart disease and lower your overall blood pressure, which is good news for your circulatory system in general. Avocados also contain unsaturated fats such as oleic and linoleic acids, which studies show can help reduce cholesterol when consumed daily in the long term.
2. Keep Appetites In Check
When you are trying to lose weight and eat fewer calories, avocados can help. They are seen as a higher caloric option because of their fat content, but actually, they can be beneficial to your diet.
A study has shown that eating the fats and fibers found naturally in avocados will actually help maintain your satiety. This means you will feel fuller for longer and desire to eat less. So, don't cut guacamole out of your diet; add it in!
3. Nutritionally Dense
Avocados are densely packed with natural nutrients that help support our bodies. Just half an avocado will act as one of your five a day. They are also packed with natural fiber to help keep your digestive tract running smoothly.
With over 10g of fiber per avocado, that is almost half what an average woman needs every day to remain healthy in one fruit! Avocado recipes could help keep cancers like colon and rectal cancer at bay by increasing the health of your gut.
What Nutrients Are Inside An Avocado?
As we mentioned, they are nutritionally dense and packed with natural minerals and nutrients that will support your body's health. As well as natural fats and fibers, avocados are packed with vitamin and mineral goodness, including:
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Folate
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
As they are dense in fats, they make the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K much easier. So when consumed with other foods, they are great for your overall mineral and vitamin intake.
Is The Avocado A Superfood?
The term superfood gets thrown about often these days and sometimes onto less deserving food items. But when it comes to getting the most nutritional punch from your lunch, you can not beat an avocado.
If you want to get more avocado in your diet, why not check out our delicious Green Smoothie Mix, which is packed with ingredients like kale and avocado!