If you are avoiding avocados because of their high fat and calorie content, you are missing out on a wealth of nutrients. Avocados provide 20 different nutrients and phytochemicals that should be part of a healthy diet. Add a little guacamole to your tacos or slice some avocado onto a sandwich or salad to benefit from this nutritious fruit.
Types
Not a vegetable at all, avocado is a fruit distantly related to berries. More than 500 types of avocados exist, but only a few types are commercially grown. The most common types of avocados found in U.S. markets are Hass, the leading type grown in California, and Florida-grown avocados derived from West Indian varieties. About the size and shape of a pear, California avocados feature a dense creamy flesh. Florida avocados are considerably larger with a more watery interior that features fewer calories and fat. The nutrient content is similar for both types.
Fat Benefits
Although one cup of cubed avocado contains about 22 g of fat, 17 g of it is the heart-healthy, unsaturated variety. The American Heart Association recommends eating 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories from fat, most of which should be comprised of the unsaturated variety. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats may decrease your risk of developing heart disease.
Vitamins
One cup of cubed avocado provides 39 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin K, which is essential to blood clotting. It also offers 25 percent of the RDA for vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps repair body tissue and is essential to collagen development. A cup of cubed avocado also provides 122 mcg of folate, or 22 percent of the RDA. Folate is essential to the body's ability to form red blood cells and to fetal development. Avocado also provides 19 percent of the RDA for vitamin B6, essential to nerve function and protein digestion, and 16 percent of vitamin E, another antioxidant. All RDA percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Minerals
Avocados are high in potassium. They provide 727 mg per cup, more than a banana. Potassium helps the body regulate mineral and fluid balance, impacting blood pressure and energy production. One cup of cubed avocado also provides 11 percent of the RDA for magnesium, which helps with muscle functioning, energy production and enzyme activation. Avocado provides 11 percent of the RDA for manganese and 14 percent for copper, both essential trace minerals.
Considerations
Avocados offer multiple nutrients, but are calorie dense. One cup of cubed avocado contains more than 200 calories. Practicing portion control when it comes to eating avocados is a wise weight management strategy.
Avocados are rich in fiber, providing 10 g per 1 cup, cubed. The Institute of Medicine advises most adult women take in at least 25 g of fiber daily, and men 38 g.
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