Nutritional Benefits of Avocados

Why do dieters often reject the noble avocado as a forbidden fruit? This ambrosial fruit is one of the most nutritious in the plant kingdom. Although the caloric content is high, avocados have the vitamins and minerals of green vegetables, the protein of meat and provide essential body oils. Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to the nutritional quality of your diet, according to the California Avocado Commission. Eating avocados can actually aid weight loss, especially if the dieter strives for a perfect alkaline/acid balance. When well nourished, the body feels sated and craves less food.

Misconceptions About Eating Avocado

• Bob Bergh, Ph.D., Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at the University of California, challenges public opinion and defends avocados' nutritional benefits. "Many people appreciate the delicious flavor of avocado, but are afraid of them for (mistaken) dietary reasons. They therefore avoid avocados or eat less than they could, because of incomplete or erroneous nutritional information," he states in a 1992 study entitled "The Avocado and Human Nutrition, Some Human Health Aspects of the Avocado." The oil of the avocado has culinary and health benefits, Bergh says. "The greater use of whole fruit has important advantages: usefulness in human weight control, high nutritional density, source of major antioxidants, stroke prevention, fruit protein source, fiber source, as baby food and other dietary benefits."

Loaded With Antioxidants

• This overlooked fruit gets little notice in health food compendiums, yet the avocado has just as much, or more, potassium and vitamin B6 as a banana, according to Bergh. "Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is important for the nervous system, red blood cells, teeth and gums," he explains. The fruit also provides vitamins C, E and beta-carotene. One avocado provides twice our daily need of these three powerful antioxidant vitamins. It is also is rich in copper and iron, according to Bergh.

Reduces Cholesterol

• Avocados help maintain good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol, according to Bergh. Their potassium level is higher than strawberries, oranges, carrots and summer squash, his research says. Avocados are high in the beneficial monounsaturated fats that help raise the basal metabolism rate, which affects calorie burn. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (November, 2005) stated that monounsaturated fat is associated with lower blood pressure.
  And the avocado helps improve the alkaline-acid balance of the body. "Chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis contributes to premature aging by impairing cellular function," according to "The Acid Alkaline Food Guide," by Dr. Susan E. Brown and Larry Trivieri, Jr. "By impairing cellular function, acidosis prevents cells from properly producing and maintaining the proteins needed for cellular repair, and without the ability to repair themselves, cells age," they write.

Improves Liver Health

• Recent avocado research is providing good reasons to eat the fruit. Yet it seems the average person still has inadequate information. "Besides offering taste and nutrition, avocados seem to improve liver health," says Hirokazu Kawagishi, professor of applied biological chemistry, at Shizuoka University in Japan, whose work is cited at Bio-medicine.org. "I have begun eating avocados more myself because of this study," he is quoted saying. The university researchers fed avocado and 22 other fruits to rats that were injected with D-galactosamine, a substance that causes liver damage and results in cell death. The rats fed avocado had the least liver damage.

Source of Fiber and Protein

• Fruits add fiber to the diet. High fiber intake lowers the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity and some cancers. The protein count of one average avocado, at 5 grams, makes it valuable for people wishing to restrict meat and dairy intake.

Avocado Uses in the Kitchen

• How wonderful that this delicious food, filling and nutritious, provides so many benefits. At 50 calories for one-fifth of an avocado, the fruit can be added to your diet as a dip, sandwich spread, hors d'oeuvre, garnish, in salads or soup, and as a dessert. To obtain an array of tantalizing recipes, such as avocado shrimp cocktail, lowfat breakfast burritos and avocado veggie tacos, go to www.avocado.org.
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