Perhaps like many Americans, you avoid avocados because you've heard about their high fat content. While this creamy, green fruit does have its share of fat, it also comes packed with nutrients that can help keep you healthy, as summarized on Avocado.org, the website of the California Avocado Commission. Besides, the fat is the monounsaturated kind that's good for your heart. Vitamins, minerals and substances linked to reduced cancer risk; avocados have it all so maybe it's time to take another look.
Carotenoids
No one food can cure or prevent all disease and cancer but some nutrients, such as those in avocados, have protective benefits that you should know about. Carotenoids play a potential role in cancer and disease prevention. The most prevalent carotenoid in avocados, lutein, may help you avoid macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults, according to a 2003 article in Annual Review of Nutrition. Another study by published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry showed that an avocado extract also inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Vitamins
Avocado.org explains the nutritional advantage of avocados, showing that they provide you with a very high density of nutrients, including at least 4 percent of the daily requirement per serving of vitamins C, E, B6 and K. A serving of avocado--1/5th of a fruit--also provides a significant amount of folate. This B-vitamin, recognized for its importance in heart health, also plays a critical role in the development of your unborn baby's nervous system.
Monounsaturated Fats and Cholesterol
Avoiding all fats in your diet isn't only unnecessary, but also unhealthy. The American Heart Association specifically mentions avocados on its website as a recommended source of monounsaturated fat. These fats help to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol and raising HDL, the good cholesterol.
Nutrient Absorption
The good fats in avocados have another benefit, too. One study reported in the Journal of Nutrition in 2005 confirmed that adding avocado to your salad or salsa allows you to absorb more of those all-important carotenoids from other fruits and vegetables. In other words, avocado helps you maximize the nutritional value of your whole meal.
Minerals and Electrolytes
Avocados also supply minerals such as magnesium and electrolytes including potassium, says the California Avocado Commission. Both of these required nutrients contribute to proper function of your cells, muscles and organs. If you add in the fact that they are sodium and cholesterol free and use them in moderation as part of a sensible diet, the benefits of eating avocados become even more evident.
References
- California Avocado Commission: Avocado Nutrients
- "Annual Review of Nutrition"; Biologic mechanisms of the protective role of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye; N.I. Krinsky, et al.; Feb. 2003
- "Journal of Nutritional Biochemisty"; Inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth by an avocado extract: role of lipid-soluble bioactive substances; Jan. 2005
- American Heart Association: Getting Healthy
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil; N.Z. Unlu, et al.; March 2005
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