Avocados may enhance digestion, lower the incidence of depression, and protect against cancer, among other health advantages . Avocados are essentially a type of berry and are also referred to as alligator pear or butter fruit. They thrive in warm environments
Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids and are a good source of numerous vitamins and minerals. Including them in a balanced diet can have a lot of advent ages.
The nutritional profile of avocados, health benefits, and several potential concerns are all covered in detail below:
Avocado Benefits
Numerous health advantages might result from eating a range of fruits and vegetables. For instance, it might lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and overall mortality while encouraging a healthy complexion, shiny hair, more energy, and moderate weight gain.
Here are some reasons that avocados might help you maintain a healthy diet:
1- Rich in nutrients
Vitamins C, E, K, and B6 are all found in avocados, along with riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide beta carotene, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
High quantities of healthy, advantageous fats found in avocados can increase satiety between meals. Consuming fat slows the breakdown of carbohydrates, which aids in maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
Roughly half an avocado, or 100 grams (g), contains:
- 160 calories
- 14.7 g of fat
- 8.5 g of carbohydrates
- 6.7 g of fiber
- less than 1 g of sugar
2- Great for vision
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two phytochemicals found in eye tissue, and they can be found in avocados. Antioxidant protection is offered by them to lessen damage, especially that caused by UV rays.
3- Improving digestion
Per half of the fruit, avocados include 6-7 g of fiber, making them high in fiber foods.
Constipation can be avoided, the digestive system can remain healthy, and colon cancer risk can be decreased by eating foods high in natural fiber.
4- Protection from chronic disease
The monounsaturated fatty acids found in avocados may help in the prevention of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease. The intake of avocados, which are high in fiber, has been linked to a decreased risk of stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and some gastrointestinal illnesses.
In addition, the appropriate amount of fiber can increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and accelerate weight loss in obese persons.
5- Reducing depression risk
Avocados are a good source of folate, which is crucial for good dietary health in general. Low folate levels have also been linked in studies to depression.
Homocysteine can interfere with blood flow to the brain and the delivery of nutrients if it builds up, but folate helps prevent this from happening. Excess homocysteine is associated with cognitive impairment, depression, and the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which control mood, sleep, and hunger.
6- Healthy for the heart
There are 76 milligrams of beta-sitosterol, a natural plant sterol, in every 100 grams of avocado. Beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols can help keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range, which is crucial for heart health.
Avocado Risks
Most people can safely eat avocados, however, those who have allergies or IBS may experience issues.
- Avocado allergy
Although it’s uncommon to have an avocado allergy, those with a latex allergy can have adverse reactions to fruits like avocados, bananas, or kiwis. This is referred to as the latex-fruit syndrome, per an older study.
The immune system assaults fruit proteins that resemble the latex-causing proteins in latex-fruit syndrome. Allergic reactions, including unsettled stomach, pains in the stomach, headaches, or more severe symptoms, including severe allergic shock, may result from this.
- FODMAPs and IBS
IBS sufferers who eat FODMAPs may experience issues. These people may experience digestive issues from eating foods high in FODMAPs, such as gas, bloating, cramping, stomach pain, diarrhea, or constipation. If a person has digestive problems, they may want to pay close attention to their symptoms after consuming foods high in FODMAPs, such as avocados.
