Avocados have always been a delicious fruit for me. In Australia, I downed crackers with avocado as one of the best snacks of all time. Now, I frequently eat avocado toast, have salads with avocados, and put avocado in smoothies. Not only is this fruit delicious, but it has healthy fats that help absorb various vitamins and minerals and has vast anti-inflammatory properties. Avocados are a fantastic way to get these healthy nutrients and fill you up quickly. Before discussing the benefits of avocados, there are great ways you can incorporate avocados into your diet. You can put avocado on toast, have them in smoothies, have them in salads, put it on sides to any dish, mix them with scrambled eggs, make guacamole, and in any sauces you make. These fruits can make everything taste better, and I would recommend using them with meals. I usually eat ½ to one avocado a day, but people can eat up to two avocados a day, which is a suitable amount for you to have every day.
In Medical News Today’s article “Why is avocado good for you?” they describe the numerous benefits stemming from this fruit. They explain that avocado has healthy fats, fiber, carbohydrates, Vitamin C, E, K, B-6, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. Some benefits from these include an enhanced nervous system, better energy production, optimal blood circulation, enhanced control of blood sugar levels, and many others. The abundance of vitamins portrays how beneficial avocados are for the body. Additionally, avocados contain 25 milligrams per ounce of beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols. This ensures the heart remains healthy and maintains healthy cholesterol levels to prevent harmful fat accumulation that can harm your body.
Before addressing more benefits, there is a common misconception that avocados can cause people to gain weight due to the fat content of the fruit:
- Fats are essential for the cells in your body to function, slow the breakdown of carbohydrates to control blood sugar levels, absorb various nutrients you digest, and boost the immune system.
- The fats in avocados are healthy fats. In Healthline’s “Healthy Fats vs. Unhealthy Fats: What You Need to Know,” they explain that the misconception on fats came around with the ability for people to infuse saturated fats (a small amount of these fats within avocados) with hydrogen. These fats are unnatural trans fat that is new to the body and studies have shown that they increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.
- There are fats called Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Some studies show with this fat includes a reduced risk of heart diseases, increased blood flow, lower blood pressure, and more. The critical thing to understand is that natural sources of fat are healthy if consumed in appropriate amounts. People create Trans fats through artificial means that are harmful to your body and should be avoided as much as possible.
Another benefit includes a lower risk of mental disorders and depression. Avocados have high amounts of folate, which may help prevent depression as they prevent homocysteine build-up. This amino acid impairs the circulation and delivery of nutrients to the brain, preventing the areas in the brain necessary for stress release, happiness, and anxiety levels. I would assume that the brain’s impaired function can result in mental instability, which would explain why studies show higher rates of depression in people with more of this amino acid. Another possible reason is that reduced melatonin (induces sleepiness), serotonin (promotes well-being), and norepinephrine (helps relax the body) impacts sleep, which is necessary to process these emotions and destress effectively. Next, avocados are high in fiber, which improves the digestive process. Digestion is needed to absorb nutritions, excrete byproducts that your body cannot digest and other toxins, ensure the colon works well, and prevent constipation. Since muscular dystrophy can prevent muscles’ adequate functioning in the digestive systems, ensuring the tract works as optimally as possible is critical.
Avocados are an incredible fruit with benefits ranging from enhanced heart health, reduced risk of depression, proper absorption of nutrients, and proper blood flow. I would recommend eating ½ to 1 avocado by putting them in salads, spreading them on toast, or experimenting with ways you can utilize avocados to make any dish more spectacular. I have been eating avocados for a long time and am ecstatic by the significant benefits of eating this fruit. Hopefully, you can also enjoy this excellent fruit for yourself!
