The avocado is a versatile buttery, creamy fruit grown in warm climates. A variety of studies suggest that increasing consumption of plant foods like the avocado helps in decreasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Avocados also help in losing weight, increasing energy, and promoting healthy hair and complexion.
Here are five reasons why eating an avocado everyday is a healthy choice.
Long-term health with an avocado
Avocados are considered a superfood. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals to keep the body thriving. However, avocados also help in satisfying our appetites, while providing the nutrition our bodies need to help prevent diabetes, cancer, heart disease, brain and degenerative eye diseases.
The fiber, good fats, and nutrients in avocados help in lowering LDL levels naturally. They also raise good HDL cholesterol levels, as well. Avocados are known to help regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation throughout the body and brain.
Avocados mix well with other food
Place avocado slices on top of fish, egg dishes, chicken, or burgers.
Cut up chunks of avocados and put them in cold or hot soups.
Mix the delicious fruit with beans, wild rice, or quinoa.
Blend avocados with water, lemon juice, spices, and vinegar; then whip the ingredients to make a creamy and nutritious salad dressing. Blend in more liquid and drizzle the fresh sauce over fish and chicken dishes.
Instead of having toast or potatoes with your morning breakfast, slice an avocado in half to make a side dish to go with morning eggs.
Eat an avocado everyday to get more nutrients
Avocados are packed with nutrients to help increase overall health. They have “good” monounsaturated fat and a great source of protein. They also have soluble fiber, 18 essential amino acids and over 14 minerals, as well as carotenoids, polyphenols, omega 3s, and vitamins B complex, C, E, and K.
Avocados are dairy-free and work well in a variety of other food. Research shows that avocados can help with the absorption of carotenoids; compounds found in red and orange vegetables and fruits that can help prevent cancer.
Avocados are not fattening
Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is considered “good fat” which is also found in olive oil. This type of fat helps in enhancing heart health.
In addition, fiber-rich avocados and good fat help in curbing our appetites—they reduce hunger.
According to a number of studies, meals that include avocados have a tendency to amplify feelings of satiety longer, when compared to meals without the delicious fruit.
Handle avocados with care
It’s important to buy and serve avocados at the right time. But sometimes people purchase avocados and they don’t eat them before they spoil.
Here are a few recommend tips on how to handle avocados with care.
Buy a few firm avocados at a time, then stagger the ripening process so the avocados don’t turn ripe all at the same moment.
If you want to speed up the ripening process, seal one or two avocados at a time into a brown paper bag, along with a banana or apple. In two or three days, the fruit will release gasses, which helps in speeding up the ripening process. After removing the ripe avocado, you can repeat the same process to speed up ripening of another one.
Eating an avocado tip
It really does matter how you cut and peel an avocado. In order to do it to gain the best health benefit, wash the outer skin of an avocado and then pat it dry. Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
Remove the seed with a spoon. Tap a sharp knife across the top of the seed to embed it, and then twist.
Instead of scooping out the fruit, gently peel the outer skin off with your fingers. The dark green fruit that is closest to the skin of the avocado is actually more nutritious.
