05/11/2015
Avocados are one of the healthiest foods on the planet!
Here's more info... with scientific research to back it up.
Avocados, which are actually classified as a fruit, are rich in monounsaturated fat that is easily burned for energy. Personally, I eat a whole avocado virtually every day, which I usually put in my salad. This increases my healthy fat and calorie intake without seriously increasing my protein or carbohydrate intake. (See Nutrition Facts Panel below.) It is also very high in potassium and will help balance your vitally important potassium to sodium ratio.
O
verall, most people would do well to get upwards of 50-70 percent fat in their diet (along with high amounts of vegetable carbs, moderate-to-low amounts of high-quality protein, and very little, if any, carbs). According to the California Avocado Commission, a medium Hass avocado contains about 22.5 grams of fat, two-thirds of which is monounsaturated.
They're also very low in fructose, which is yet another boon, and provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including:
Fiber
Potassium (more than twice the amount found in a banana)
Vitamin E
B-vitamins
Folic acid
Avocados are one of the safest fruits you can buy conventionally-grown,and most experts do not believe you need to purchase organic ones. Their thick skin protects the inner fruit from pesticides. Additionally, it has been rated as one of the safest commercial crops in terms of pesticide exposure,3 so there's no real need to spend extra money on organic avocados, unless you can afford it.
Avocados have a long list of potential health benefits. For example, besides its anti-inflammatory properties, previous research from Japan suggests this powerful fruit may also help protect against liver damage. In one study,4 laboratory rats were fed avocado and 22 other fruits. The rats were then given D-galactosamine, a potent liver toxin that interferes with cell synthesis and results in cell death. The rats fed avocado suffered the least amount of liver damage. The chemical-induced liver injuries resemble those caused by viruses, so the researchers suggested avocado could potentially offer support in the treatment of viral hepatitis.
According to one lead author Hirokazu Kawagishi, Ph.D:
"Besides offering taste and nutrition, avocados seem to improve liver health. People should eat more of them."
How to Get More Avocado into Your Diet
While avocado is commonly eaten raw, on salad or alone, with nothing but a dash of Himalayan salt and some ground pepper, for example, there are many other ways to include avocado in your diet.
For example, you can use avocado in the following ways:
Use as a fat replacement in baking. Simply replace the fat called for (such as oil, butter or shortening) with an equal amount of avocado
Use as a first food for babies, in lieu of processed baby food
Add raw avocado to salads every day
