Some avocado benefits include hydrating the hair and promoting hair health, as avocados contains B complex vitamins and vitamin E. Avocados also contain healthy fats, like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. These fats have an antioxidant action that help to decrease cholesterol levels and blood pressure to promote heart health.
This fruit can be incorporated into weight loss diets as well as diabetic diets. Avocados are rich in fiber that help to keep you full and regulate sugar absorption at the intestinal level. However, avocados should be consumed in small portions as they are high in calories.
Avocados can be consumed in their natural state, on their own or added to salads, smoothies and creams. Avocado pits can be baked and ground to be added to juices, sauces, soups or cookie and cake batters.
Health benefits
The main health benefits of avocados include:
1. Preventing early aging
Avocados can benefit the skin by preventing stretch marks, wrinkles and cellulitis. They are rich in vitamin C, which helps to metabolize collagen, the substance that maintains skin firmness.
This fruit also contains antioxidants that help to prevent early aging of skin cells. It can maintain skin elasticity to keep it looking healthy.
2. Promoting muscle gains
When consumed prior to exercise, avocados can promote muscle formation. It is rich in healthy fats, which provides the body with adequate amounts of energy to optimize your workout. It also Contains protein that promote rapid muscle recovery.
This fruit is rich in magnesium, a mineral that is important for muscular contraction, as well as potassium, which helps to combat fatigue and prevent muscle cramping during exercise.
Learn more about other muscle-building foods that you can add to your diet for muscle gains.
3. Increasing folic acid intake
Avocado is rich in folic acid, which is why regular consumption of this fruit stimulates the formation of blood cells like red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells. It can help to prevent and improve anemia.
In addition, it is a great option for women looking to get pregnant or women in their first trimester of pregnancy. Folic acid is a vitamin that is necessary for optimal nervous system development in the baby, and therefore avocados can help to prevent certain congenital diseases, like spina bifida and anencephaly.
Check out other folic acid foods you can consume to ensure you meet your daily requirements.
4. Improving hair moisture and shine
When used as a hair mask, avocado can increase hair follicle hydration and promote hair growth. Avocados are rich in fat, B-complex vitamins, and vitamin E which help to keep hair shiny and healthy.
Learn about other foods for hair growth to stimulate faster growth.
5. Promoting weight loss
Avocados are rich in fiber, primarily insoluble fiber, and can supply 3 grams of fiber for every 100 grams of fruit. These fibers help to manage appetite and reduce overeating by keeping you full and regulating blood sugar levels.
Avocados also contain B-complex vitamins, which are necessary for optimal metabolism. Because it is rich in fat, avocados are high in calories, however, which is why it should be consumed in small portions.
6. Treating constipation
Because avocados are rich in fiber, they can also be used to treat constipation. This fruit increase stool volume and promote intestinal flow. It is important to also consume plenty of water, so that stool can by hydrated and soft for easy elimination. See our list of other naturally laxative foods that you can eat to treat constipation.
7. Improving brain functions
The main benefit of avocados is its ability to improve memory capacity. The omega-3 in this fruit stimulates blood circulation and can also increase concentration.
Because it is also rich in folic acid and magnesium, avocados can also help to prevent depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s. These components are essential in neurotransmitter synthesis process, which is important for not only memory, but for concentration and motivation.
8. Preventing cardiac disease
Avocados are rich in phytosterols that com from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These substances help to reduce blood markers that are associated with a higher risk for cardiac disease, like total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.
Avocados also stimulate the synthesis of HDL cholesterol, which is essential for preventing fatty plaque accumulation along the arteries and promoting a healthy heart.
9. Controlling blood pressure
Avocados contain great quantities of potassium and magnesium, which are minerals that contribute to blood pressure reduction. Potassium stimulates sodium elimination through urine, while magnesium helps to increase nitric oxide production (which helps to dilate blood vessels).
10. Preventing cancer
Due to its high levels of antioxidants like omega-3, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E, regular avocado consumption can help to neutralize free radical formation in the body and reduce the oxidative stress cascade.
Oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat in avocados, also exert an anti-inflammatory and anticancer effect, which can induce cell death in tumor cells.
11. Helping to regulate blood sugar
Avocados are rich in good fats, low in carbs and high in fiber, which makes it an excellent choice for pre-diabetics and diabetics. This fruit can help to regulate blood sugar levels and prevent high levels.
Nutritional information
The following table outlines the nutritional value for every 100 g of avocado:
To ensure you obtain all the health benefits avocados can offer, it should be consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
How to eat
Although there are no specific indications over the amount of avocados consumed per day, the minimal recommended dose of fruit is 2 to 3 portions per day, which is equivalent to 160 to 240 g per day.
Avocados can be consumed in their natural form on their own, or added to salads, smoothies and creams. Avocado pits can be baked and ground to a flour to be added to sauces, juices and cake and cookie batters.
Avocados can also be consumed in oil form, and can be used as an oil replacement in many recipes.
Healthy avocado recipes
Some healthy recipes that feature avocados as the main ingredient include:
1. Guacamole
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe medium avocado
- 2 tomatoes, skinned, chopped and without seeds
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, diced or smashed
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Pepper, lemon, salt and parsley
How to prepare:
Remove the pulp of the avocado and store in the refrigerator. Stir-fry the tomatoes, onion and garlic in pepper and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook for 2 minutes. Then allow to cool and stir into the avocado until it forms a well-combined paste. Season with salt, lemon and parsley to taste.
2. Vegetable salad with avocado
Ingredients:
- 1 tomato, cubed
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 cucumber, cubed
- 1 squash, cooked and cubed
- 1 ripe avocado, cubed
- Chopped parsley, salt, olive oil and lemon to taste
How to prepare:
Mix all ingredients, being sure to be gentle with the squat and avocado. Season with parsley, salt, olive oil and lemon. Serve cool.
3. Avocado truffles with cacao
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe tomato
- 1 tablespoon of cacao powder, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of honey
How to prepare:
Blend all ingredients in a blender, or mix manually until well-combined. Roll batter into small balls and store in refrigerator until they become firm. Serve cool.