The avocado, a fruit with a bright green flesh, was first cultivated in South America with later migration to Mexico. Since the early 1800s, in the United States, the avocado has been primarily cultivated in California, as the warmer climate there is conducive to growing avocados. According to the Centers for Disease Control, avocados provide a variety of nutrients including fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.
About Avocados
The avocado is a fruit that comes in a variety of shapes, from round to pear-shaped, with skin ranging in color from black to green, and smooth to dimpled. Avocados, according to Kitchen Dictionary.com, require four to 17 days off of the avocado tree to soften, depending on temperature and humidity. There are three main types of avocado. These include: the small, purple-skinned Mexican avocado; the medium, pear-shaped Guatemalan avocado; and the large, glossy-green West Indian avocado. Those avocados primarily grown in California are the small variety of Hass avocados that have a buttery, nutty taste. Some varieties of avocado that are grown in Florida are larger in size than the California avocados, have a mild, fruity flavor, and have 20 to 25 percent less fat than the California variety.
Nutritional Profile of Avocado
According to the California Avocado Commission, avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid. Every ounce of avocado contains 1 g of fiber, 7 percent of the recommended daily value of folate necessary for cell and tissue health, 8 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin K needed for proper blood clotting ability, and 140 mg of potassium -- which is 60 percent more potassium than one ounce of a banana, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, every ounce of avocado contains 3 grams of healthy, monounsaturated fats.
Health Benefits of Avocado
Due to the avocado's rich monounsaturated fat content, if avocados are used in preparing creamy dips and spreads -- in place of saturated fats such as butter or cream -- an individual may reduce her risk of developing heart disease. This is due to the fact that monounsaturated fats, in place of saturated fats, help lower the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels in the blood, according to the MayoClinic.com. The California Avocado Commission reports that, along with being cholesterol- and sodium-free, avocados may also increase the body's ability to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients such as lutein, from foods that are eaten alongside them. Lutein is an antioxidant important for eye and skin health.
Healthy Eating and the Avocado
Avocado, which can be eaten diced as a topping for salads or in soups, or used as the base for creamy dips and spreads, is a nutrient-dense fruit that can be an alternative to meats or high-fat dairy in many dishes. With the avocado's many potential health benefits, there is no reason why you cannot eat a bit of avocado every day for added nutrition in your diet.
Member Comments