Happy Thursday friends! Y'all know how much I love eating fresh and healthy foods and recently I have been eating so many avocados throughout each week that I finally decided to research what the health benefits are and I was amazed.
Y'all, even after more than a decade of writing about the benefits of different foods and things in life, I still stand amazed at the health benefits that good food brings to our bodies! So today I wanted to share just some of the benefits with you today!
First a couple of interesting facts to know:
1. Avocados Are Berries
Despite their savory taste and appearance, avocados are technically berries, not vegetables. Botanically speaking, a berry is a fruit that develops from the ovary of a single flower and contains seeds embedded within the fleshy pulp. Avocados fit this definition perfectly, making them a type of berry.
2. Avocados Can't Ripen on the Tree
Okay y'all, this to me was just fascinating! Unlike many fruits that ripen on the tree before harvesting, avocados remain hard and unripe until they are picked. Avocados undergo the ripening process only after they are harvested. This unique characteristic allows growers to pick avocados when they are mature but still firm, ensuring optimal quality during transportation and storage.
3. They Are Extremely Nutrient-Dense
Avocados are not only delicious but also incredibly nutritious. They are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which is beneficial for heart health. Additionally, they contain high levels of potassium, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin E, and various antioxidants, making them one of the most nutrient-dense fruits available.
4. An Historical Fact For My History Loving Heart:
Avocados have a long history and archaeological evidence suggests that avocados were first cultivated in Central America. The avocado was known to be cherished by several ancient civilizations, who considered it a symbol of fertility and used it for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
Today I am so excited to share with y'all 10 powerful benefits that are found in avocados:
1. Avocados are Rich with Many Essential Nutrients
Avocados are packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as folate, magnesium, and potassium. A single avocado contains a variety of vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall health and well-being.
2. Avocados Help Protect our Eyes
Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two powerful antioxidants that are essential for eye health. These compounds help protect the eyes against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts by filtering harmful blue light and reducing oxidative stress.
3. Avocados are Great for Your Heart
Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which is beneficial for heart health. These healthy fats help lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) while raising levels of good cholesterol (HDL), reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
4. Avocados are Rich in Fiber
Just one avocado provides a significant amount of dietary fiber, which is essential for digestive health and regular bowel movements. Fiber also helps maintain stable blood sugar levels and promotes a feeling of fullness, aiding in weight management.
5. Avocados Help With Digestion
The soluble and insoluble fiber found in avocados supports healthy digestion by promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. Additionally, the high fiber content helps nourish beneficial gut bacteria, promoting a healthy gut microbiome.
I found this to be particularly interesting - especially for me personally with one of the issues that I critically struggled with during my battle with Lyme. One severe area that Lyme attacked was my entire digestive system, colon, etc. Despite not being able to eat many foods Avocados always helped me and were a critical part of my nutrition and therapy in getting well. SO interesting!
6. Avocados have Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Avocados contain various compounds, such as phytosterols and polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs), that possess anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds help reduce inflammation throughout the body, which is linked to chronic diseases such as arthritis and heart disease.
7. Weight Management
Despite their rich texture, avocados can be beneficial for weight management when consumed in moderation. The combination of healthy fats, fiber, and low carbohydrates helps keep you feeling full and satisfied, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
8. Skin Health
The abundance of vitamins and antioxidants in avocados makes them excellent for skin health. Vitamin E, in particular, helps protect the skin from oxidative damage, while vitamin C promotes collagen production, keeping the skin firm and youthful.
9. Brain Health
The monounsaturated fats found in avocados are not only beneficial for the heart but also for the brain. Consuming healthy fats supports cognitive function and may reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
10. Lower Risk of Metabolic Syndrome:
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions—including high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels—that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Regular consumption of avocados has been associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, thanks to their nutrient profile and beneficial effects on various metabolic markers.
Looking for the Avocado benefits but don't enjoy the texture or flavor? Try purchasing the powder extract for health benefits! You can find a very popular kind HERE!
Interested in finding out more about different health benefits of different foods and habits Click HERE to check out a whole page of linked helpful resources of blog posts from the past decade!!
Interested in "berry specific" health benefit blog posts? Check out the following posts by clicking on the links below!
What about you? Have you found any amazing benefits or helpful from consuming avocados? I would love to hear how you incorporate avocados into your daily life!
{Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.}
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