Why Do You Need to Include Avocados In Your Diet?

A healthy, balanced diet is all we need to have a better life. And of course, importance of regular exercise cannot be underestimated. One of the fruits that we constantly nudge about is avocado. This fruit is famous amongst fitness lovers. They use the fruit in smoothies, salads or simply munch on it to get a good dose of healthy fats along with a bunch of minerals, vitamins and not to forget fibers too.

Avocado lovers nosh on avocado recipes and flaunt them on social media accounts. But do you have any idea what avocados really are? Do they belong to fruits or veggies category? Or are they just a part of trendy diets followed by youth or do they really work on your waistline?

Avocado lovers, we have all covered up for you. This article is dedicated to avocado and its health benefits. It is not limited to these basic things. In fact, we are going to tell you what nutritionists and dieticians have to say about the fruit and much more. It is like an avocado FAQs answered thoroughly. Read further to know more.

What is an Avocado?

The Central American avocado tree came from southern Mexico and Columbia. It was originated around 7000 years ago as per the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Avocados have blended into the culture of North America to such an extent that now you can find almost 80 different varieties of Californian avocados amongst which Hass avocados are the popular ones. Avocado is a fruit but as per the California Avocado website, botanically an avocado is a berry because of the presence of a seed with fleshy pulp.

Basic nutrition facts about an avocado

Avocados are enriched with minerals like potassium, sodium, magnesium, and vitamin A, E, K, B6 and C along with monounsaturated fatty acids. The fruit also has dietary fibers. Avocado oil has almost 71% monounsaturated fatty acids which are good fats. These are imperative in lowering LDL or bad cholesterol improving levels of HDL or good cholesterol.

Health benefits of avocados

Potassium content is higher in avocados. This mineral is vital in improving heart contractions and it also plays and imperative role in managing blood pressure. It is better for reducing high blood pressure. One avocado offers you almost 15% of the daily recommended dosage of potassium which is equivalent to potassium found in one and half large bananas or two smaller ones. Further, the fruit is loaded with vitamins which are important in healthy functioning of the entire body.

Avocados are loaded with a good amount of fiber which is imperative in managing good healthy weight and thus protects your heart and other organs from obesity related health issues. As we all know, fibers keep us full for longer thus we tend to eat less. Thus, avocados are good for keeping an eye on the weight.

Beauty benefits of avocados

Not just for waistline but avocados are good for beauty enhancement as well. The fruit offers high amount of vitamin C which helps in keeping complexion blemishes free and fight off with wrinkles too. It reduces skin inflammation, and treats dry skin. As per a study, Avocado oil may boost collagen production and fights off with ageing. However, the study was performed on rats and they were fed on avocado oil and thus, it is better to take the finding with a grain of salt.

Is it true that avocados are good for weight loss?

As mentioned earlier, the fruit has a healthy amount of monounsaturated fats and of course fibers. A 100 grams of serving gives you around 7 grams of fibers. These two elements are imperative in order to keep your waistline in a healthy range. Moreover, researchers have contributed in praising avocados for being a healthy alternative for fats. A small study has revealed that subjects have reported reduced hunger and enhanced satisfaction when they included half an avocado in their daily diet.

Drawbacks of eating avocados

The fruit has a fewer dietary risks to offer. If you are planning to lose weight, you better control the portion of avocados in your diet. These are high in calories and thus eating them might add extra calories in your diet. You should go easy on the fruit if you are not planning to burn those extra calories. It is safe to work with your dietician in order to plan your diet including avocados in it.