In countries with poor storage facilities, the seasonal nature of avocado truly shows. This situation requires that you consume enough of this fruit once it is in season.
You cannot afford to miss out on the loads of nutrients that it offers you.
Basically, you will see much of avocado fruits between February and April. Plan to add it to your diet this period.
Indeed avocado is rich in nutrients. But there is also a recommendation of the quantity that you should eat.
We will look at experts recommendations in this regard.
Before we go into all that, let us look at the nutrients and the health benefits of avocado.
Health Benefits Of Avocado
From the flowering plant family, Lauraceae, avocado fruit is a large berry containing a single large seed.
But if you are like us, who give attention to the nutrients a fruit offers, you should want to know the nutrients in avocado and their benefits.
Nutritional Facts Of One-half Of Avocado
According to a study, one-half of an avocado contains;
Dietary fiber (4.6 g)
Total sugar (0.2 g)
Potassium (345 mg)
Sodium (5.5 mg)
Magnesium (19.5 mg)
Vitamin A (43 μg)
Vitamin C (6.0 mg)
Folate (60 mg)
Vitamin E (1.3 mg)
Vitamin K1 (14 μg)
Niacin (1.3 mg)
Vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg)
Pantothenic acid (1.0 mg)
Riboflavin (0.1 mg)
Choline (10 mg)
Lutein/zeaxanthin (185 μg)
Phytosterols (57 mg)
High-monounsaturated fatty acids (6.7 g) and 114 kcals or 1.7 kcal/g. (1).
Going by the nutrients above, you could see that avocado is loaded with much health benefits.
Categorically, these nutrients have their specific function and benefits which we will breakdown.
1. Weight Management
The burden of weight management is increasing globally. Avocado is amazing for weight management.
Basically, avocado contains fibre that helps you stay full when you consume it.
Also, a study says lowering the amount of other solid food you eat while increasing fruit and/or vegetable intake would result in significant weight loss (2).
The study further states that avocados have both a medium energy density of 1.7 kcal/g and a viscose water, dietary fiber and fruit oil matrix that appear to enhance satiety.
This makes it a great diet for people who want to lose weight.
Furthermore, another study categorically states that avocado contains nutrients and bioactive compounds that may help reduce the risk of becoming overweight/obese (3).
All you need to do when it is in season is cut down on other foods and increase intake of avocado and other fruits and vegetables.
2. Healthy Ageing – Could Relief Arthritis
As we advance in age, each of us seek great health, but we must put a conscious effort at the back of this desire.
Therefore, intentionally adding foods with anti-ageing nutrients to our diet is essential.
Avocado contains xanthophylls, which a study says may have antioxidant and DNA protective effects with possible healthy aging protective effects (4).
One study involving 82 male airline pilots and frequent air travelers provides a deeper insight.
These individuals are often exposed to high levels of cosmic ionizing radiation known to damage DNA, potentially. Also, this accelerates the aging process.
At the end of the study, researchers found that intake of vitamin C, beta-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lutein-zeaxanthin from fruits and vegetables could reverse the damage.
Also, avocado has antioxidants that could slow down joint deterioration.
This is one of the conditions that oxidative and inflammation stress trigger. When this happens, it results in imbalance in biosynthesis and degradation of the joint extracellular matrix, leading to loss of function.
But a study says fruits and vegetables rich in lutein and zeaxanthin could decrease risk of cartilage defects (5).
Avocado contains lutein and zeaxanthin in a reasonable amount.
As you get older, eating this fruit each time it is in season and even finding a way to save it is a good idea.
to save avocado, you can put it in your freezer.
3. Heart Health
Avocado has a similar composition profile to that of tree nuts, which have a heart health claim.
Some of the nutrients in avocado that benefits your heart greatly are the monounsaturated fatty acids.
A study says avocado oil consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). It has 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA).
However, as the avocado ripens the saturated fatty acid drops.
This is one reason you can replace your bread spread with avocado and it will do your heart so much good.
Also, avocado fruit contains carbohydrates composed of about 80% dietary fiber, consisting of 70% insoluble and 30% soluble fiber (6).
Avocados contain 2.0 grams and 4.6 grams of dietary fiber per 30 grams and one-half fruit, respectively.
Therefore, if you add avocado to your diet, the presence of soluble fibre will reduce bad cholesterol.
Bad cholesterol has been linked to heart diseases, as it could escape into your arteries and clog them.
Furthermore, avocado is rich in potassium and magnesium which are beneficial to your heart.
Vitamins And Antioxidants
While potassium helps promote blood pressure control in adults, magnesium may help support normal vascular tone and insulin sensitivity.
Again, avocado contains vitamins C and E which also have antioxidative activities in the body.
Vitamins C plays an important role in recycling vitamin E to maintain circulatory antioxidant protection.
This activity helps slow the rate of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) oxidation.
According to a study, evidence suggests that vitamin C may contribute to vascular health and lower the chances of your arteries clogging (7).
Vitamins K and B-vitamins in avocado also provide some support to your heart.
As a support to your heart, avocado has phytochemical properties that are very beneficial.
These antioxidants, carotenoids, phenolic, phytosterols and high in this fruit and they are beneficial to your heart.
Together, they lower oxidative stress that could cause chronic diseases, like hypertension and diabetes.
4. Avocado And Eye Health
The eye is the source of light to the body. And eating foods that nourish your eyes is necessary even daily.
Fortunately, avocado is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin.
These are nutrients selectively taken up into the macula of the eye (the portion of the eye where light is focused on the lens).
Studies suggest that relative intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin decrease with age and the levels are lower in females than males.
But in the reverse, increasing intake of dietary plasma concentration of lutein may lower age-related eye dysfunction (8).
5. Improves Your Skin
Your skin is one part of your body where ageing begins to show fast. But if you want to get rid of the wrinkles and blemish, here is a fruit for you.
Basically, the facial skin is frequently subjected to ongoing oxidative and inflammatory damage by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) and visible radiation.
However, carotenoids may be able to combat this damage.
Have Your read? Avocado: Nutrients That Aid Conception, Foetus Development
For instance, a clinical study found that the concentration of carotenoids in the skin is directly related to the level of fruit and vegetable intake (9).
It further states that avocado’s highly bioavailable lutein and zeaxanthin may help to protect the skin from damage from both UV and visible radiation.
6. Avocado As Anti-cancer Food
This fruit is also a good food that lowers your risk of cancer.
Basically, avocado contains a number of bioactive phytochemicals including carotenoids, terpenoids, D-mannoheptulose, persenone A and B, phenols, and glutathione that have been reported to have anti-carcinogenic properties (10).
In 2012, a study found that the concentrations of some of these phytochemicals in the fruit may inhibit cancer cells’ replication.
Also, the National Cancer Institute found that the glutathione levels of per one-half fruit of avocado is several fold higher than that of other fruits.
How Much Avocado Should I Eat?
Talking about the quantity to consume, a study says that although the official avocado serving is one-fifth of a fruit (30 g), you could eat up to one-half of the fruit (68 g) per day.