Would you
believe that the avocado is considered by many nutritional experts to be a
perfect food? It’s considered as a super food by many.
Surprise,
it’s not really a vegetable, it’s a fruit. In areas south of the border, it’s
often called the alligator pear because of its shape and dark green roughly
textured skin.it si also know as” parachichi” in Kiswahili.
Though
avocados are heavy in calories, those are nutrient dense calories. And the fats
are heart healthy monounsaturated fats and omega-3. Besides actually being
healthy, there are many ways to enjoy avocado, from a few guacamole recipes to
mixing into salads and to using it as a meat substitute for sandwiches.
It may be
ideal to always buy organic, but you don’t have to with avocados. So far none
are GMO, and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has non-organic avocados in
their “clean 15″ list with mostly no detectable pesticide residue (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/).
Their benefits
range from:
Healthy brain: Dr. Daniel G. Amen, author of Change
Your Brain, Change Your Life considers avocados as one of the top brain-healthy
foods that can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. The folate in avocado
contributes to preventing the formation of brain tangles that are considered a
factor for Alzheimer’s.
Avocados
combine brain healthy omega-3 fatty acids with natural vitamin E, which has
been clinically proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease from progressing and even
reversing it in its earliest stages.
Healthy
heart: Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that boost heart health
and help lower blood pressure. Avocado monounsaturated fats contain the
phytonutrient beta-sitosterol, which was clinically proven to lower LDL and triglyceride
blood levels while raising HDL.
Avocados’
vitamin B6 and the natural folic acid from their high amount of folate help
regulate homocysteine, which if high is a harbinger of bad heart health. The
natural vitamin E and the master antioxidant glutathione in a base of avocado’s
monounsaturated fat’s oleic acid are also recognized heart health boosters.
Pregnancy:
Folic acid is commonly recommended for pregnant women to help the fetus develop
its brain and other vital organs. But some health experts consider
synthetically extracted folic acid a problem. They recommend using natural
folate for its folic acid content instead.
Folate also
reduces stroke risk, according to a study of people who eat folate rich foods.
Eye health: Avocado contains the carotenoid
leutein, an antioxidant that specializes with protecting the eyes from
oxidative stress damage leading to poor vision, cataracts, and macular
degeneration.
Blood pressure: The combination of avocado’s high
potassium content, 30 percent more than banana, with omega-3 and oleic acid are
beneficial toward reducing blood pressure.
Blood sugar: Avocado’s monounsaturated fats can
prevent or reverse insulin resistance, a source of type 2 diabetes. The high
soluble fiber of avocado helps prevent blood sugar spikes.
Anti-inflammatory:
Inflammation is considered the basis of most non-contagious diseases. Avocados
have an abundance of plant phytonutrient polyphenols and flavonoids, which have
been discovered as anti-inflammatory agents.
Anti-aging: The master antioxidant glutathione supports the liver
and the nervous system. It is responsible for replenishing and recycling other
antioxidants in the body. It is vital for a strong immune system, and avocado
is one of the few foods that contain a considerable amount of glutathione.
Digestion: Nutrients and enzymes in avocado reduce inflammation in
the stomach and small intestine’s mucous lining. This also improves the body’s
ability to absorb carotenoids and nutrients.
A study’s participants
who ate salads with avocados absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids than
those who did not include avocados. Carotenoids include beta carotene and
lycopene. Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, and lycopene is a compound
that reduces stroke and prostate cancer risks.
Cancer: Avocados can help protect against
prostate and breast cancers.
Had enough?
Go get some avocados and enjoy them with sea salt, olive oil and lemon or
vinegar or whatever way you find pleasurable.
Labels: nutrition
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