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1. Avocado Is Superfood
Avocados are extremely nutritious, this particular fruit is a very concentrated food, more like a nut
than a fruit. Although avocados are high in calories, they are very high in
most of the B vitamins except B12, being particularly good in folic acid. They
also have some vitamin C, good amounts of vitamin A, and vitamin E. As you
already know, avocados are rich in potassium. In addition, they have good
amount of other minerals, including magnesium, iron, and manganese. For
vegetarians who do not eat a lot of fatty foods, avocados may be a good source
of needed oils.
2. Reduced Risk of Cancer
Avocados give our body numerous phytochemicals that may help prevent
cancer. The fruit contains elements that have been known to decrease rates
of oral cancer. Some research show that there is a potential that avocados
can reduce risk of both breast and prostate cancers. Although, there is
some research available on cancer preventive qualities of the fruit,
future research is required to obtain more conclusive results.
3. Reduced Risk of Heart
Diseases
As a matter of fact, heart disease is the number 1 killer in the United
States. Heart disease is often linked to poor diet and lifestyle. Therefore,
making right food choices is essential.
Avocados contain low level of saturated fat and high level of
unsaturated fat, which has positive effect on our cardiovascular system.
Unsaturated fat in your diet also may help to lower LDL cholesterol (bad
cholesterol), maintain HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).
Furthermore, eating avocado can improve your insulin sensitivity. In
addition to good fats, avocados also contain a great variety of nutrients,
including antioxidants. This fruit may help prevent inflammation and oxidative
stress in the blood vessels while improving blood flow.
4. Weight Loss Helper
Would you ever think that eating fat will help to lose fat? Recent
studies show that avocados help to maintain healthy Body Mass Index (BMI).
Avocado in meals helps to extend the feeling of fullness and reduce desire
to overeat. Each fruit contains about 14g of fiber, which helps to reduce
your waistline.
5. Skin and Eyes Protection
There are some nutrients (carotenoids and lutein) in avocados that
can help to slow age-related ocular decline and prevent vision dysfunction. In
addition, the same nutrients protect our skin from UV damage, making it smooth
and healthy.
6. Blood Pressure Regulator
Since avocados are an excellent source of potassium (actually
even better than bananas), they can be helpful in lowering high blood
pressure. Potassium is important in the human body, along with sodium, it
regulates the water balance and acid-balance in the blood and tissues. Thus,
for most individuals with high blood pressure, increasing potassium intake is a
much more reliable way to lower blood pressure than decreasing intake of
sodium. Potassium is also important for normal growth and for building muscles.
7. Avocados Are Delicious And Very Versatile
Besides being so healthy and nutritious, avocados are also delicious
and go well with different foods. They are commonly used in salads, dips such
as guacamole, in sandwiches, stuffed with seafood, as spreads on your morning
toast, or simply plain on its own. When choosing an avocado, aim for a heavy
fruit with unbroken skin. The fruit should yield to gentle pressure without
denting. If it dents, it is overripe. Leave unripe avocados on the kitchen
counter for a few days and they will be ready to eat! Ripe avocados will keep
for four-five days in the fridge. Unripe avocados will never ripen if you put
them in the refrigerator. The flesh is the part eaten, the seed and skin should
be discarded. Once cut, you can sprinkle the flesh with lime or lemon juice to
prevent from turning dark. Enjoy!
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