Avocado

 Avocado, is a very unique type of fruit. Most of these are composed primarily of carbohydrates, while this delicious, green and oddly appearing, not sweet fruit,  is rich in healthy fats .

1. Avocado is incredibly nutritious
When we speak of "avocado" we refer to the fruit of the avocado tree, called  Persea americana .

This fruit is appreciated for its high nutritional value; It is used in all kinds of dishes thanks to its good taste and texture. It is the main ingredient of guacamole. Currently, the avocado has become a very popular food among people who take care of their health. It is sometimes referred to as a superfood ... which is not surprising if we consider its health benefits .

There are many types of avocados, the shape (pear-shaped to round) and the color (from green to black) can vary. They can also weigh between 220 grams and up to 1.4 kg.

The most popular variety is called Hass avocado. It is often referred to as a "crocodile pear", which is very descriptive, as it tends to be pear-shaped and the skin green and rough ... like a crocodile. The greenish-yellow flesh inside the fruit is eaten, while the skin and the skin are discarded.

Avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 vitamins and minerals . These are some of the most abundant nutrients in a 100 gram serving :



Vitamin K: 26% of the recommended daily dose.
Folic Acid: 20% of the recommended daily dose.
Vitamin C: 17% of the recommended daily dose.
Potassium: 14% of the recommended daily dose.
Vitamin B5: 14% of the recommended daily dose.
Vitamin B6: 13% of the recommended daily dose.
Vitamin E: 10% of the recommended daily dose.
It also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus,
vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).


It has 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats . Although it contains 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 of them are fiber, so there are only 2 "net" carbohydrates, making it a low carbohydrate food.


2. It has more potassium than bananas
Potassium is a nutrient that most people do not consume in sufficient quantities . This nutrient helps maintain the electrical gradient of the body's cells and fulfills several important functions.

Avocados have a very high content of potassium ... a serving of 100 grams contains 14% of the recommended daily dose, compared to 10% of the banana, a typical food rich in potassium.


3. It is rich in beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids for the heart
Once again, the avocado is a high fat food. In fact, 77% of your calories come from fat, which makes it one of the most fatty foods of plant origin of all that exist.

But not only do they contain any fat ... most of the fat in the avocado is oleic acid . This is a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the main component in olive oil and is thought to be responsible for some of its beneficial effects.


Oleic acid has been linked to the reduction of inflammation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on cancer- related genes .

The fats in the avocado are also quite resistant to heat-induced oxidation, so avocado oil is a healthy and safe option for cooking.


4. They are full of fiber
Fiber is another nutrient found in relatively large quantities in avocados.

Fiber is the non-digestible plant material that can contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of suffering from many diseases.

A distinction is often made between soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is known to be able to  feed the good bacteria of the intestine , which are very important for the optimal functioning of our organism.

A serving of 100 grams of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, which is 27% of the recommended daily amount. About 25% of the fiber in the avocado is soluble, while 75% is insoluble.

5. Eating avocados can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels s
The Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the world . It is known that several markers of blood are associated with an increased risk. These include cholesterol, triglycerides, markers of inflammation, blood pressure and several others.

The effects of avocado on some of these risk factors have been studied in 8 controlled trials in humans. These are studies where people are divided into groups; One group should eat avocados while the other does not. Researchers observe what happens to their blood markers over time.

These studies have shown that avocados can:

Reduce total cholesterol levels significantly.
Reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%.
Reduce LDL cholesterol by 22%.
Increase HDL (the "good") cholesterol by up to 11%.



One of the studies showed that including avocados in a low-fat vegetarian diet led to improvements in the cholesterol profile. Unfortunately, all human studies were small (13 to 37 subjects) and short term (1-4 weeks). The results, however, were impressive.




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