The creamy and smooth avocado is a kind of super fruit. It comes with a long list of nutrition from vitamins, minerals, fibers to healthy fats. Simply eating around 300 mg of avocado will provide your body what it needs in terms of nutrition. Moreover, avocado is easy to consume and you can even use it for skin and hair treatment.
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts
Serving size: Calories 50 *Percent Daily Values (%DV) |
Amt per Serving | %DV* | Amt per Serving | %DV* | ||
| Total Fat 4.5g | 7% | Total Carbohydrate 3g | 1% | |||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |   Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% | |||
| Sodium 0mg | 0% |   Sugars 0g | ||||
| Potassium 140mg | 4% | Protein 1g | ||||
| Vitamin A | 4% | Calcium | 0% | |||
| Vitamin C | 4% | Iron | 2% |
Here is a simple breakdown of what is containing inside avocado that can benefit your health and beauty.
- Healthy Fats
Avocado benefits very important for your body because it has important nutrition such as healthy fats. healthy fats are needed by your body because they can increase the HDL level, which is the good cholesterol, in your body. This is a good type of cholesterol that can protect your body from free radicals while regulating the levels of triglyceride, one of the diabetes causes. The terms fats and cholesterols are commonly related as the culprits of many diseases, but the ones contained in avocado are the healthy ones called the mono-unsaturated fatty acids. So leave your supplements and eat this healthy food.
- Protein
Animal products are known as a good source of protein, but avocados can also provide the same thing. Moreover, the protein from avocados is easier to absorb since it comes with fiber. So if you are afraid of eating too much animal products, you can substitute some of them by including avocado in your diet to get more protein without even having to cook it first. Raw or cooked, avocado is excellent.
- Carotenoids
People tend to go with fruits or vegetables in orange or red when they need carotenoids such as beta-carotene or lutein. However, avocado is rich in carotenoids even without the orange or red color like those popular fruits and vegetables. Consuming carotenoids can help to boost your immune system while providing vitamin A, which is good for your eyesight.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties
All the nutrients packed in avocado are creating a combination of anti-inflammatory properties, which are effective in preventing many kinds of diseases. You can get some vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and fatty acids that can fight inflammation and keep you healthy.
List of Avocado Benefits
The long list of nutrition in avocado leads to a longer list of benefits you can reap for your body, skin and hair.
- Reducing Cancer Risk
Carotenoids work to fight free radicals and they are even more powerful with the existence of lutein in this fruit. These compounds can slow down the growth of cancer cells, especially prostate cancer, as has been proved by many studies. However, since the studies conducted using isolated cells, not human, the results might still need further researches and studies to ensure the effects for human.
The effectiveness of avocados in preventing cancer is believed because it is containing phytochemicals that can make cancer cells stop from growing. Those who are under chemotherapy treatment can also consume this super fruit to replace the drained out glutathione. Your body shouldn’t get lacked of glutathione because this is a powerful antioxidant that can protect your body from free radicals. So don’t let its level getting low by increasing it with avocados during chemotherapy. The antioxidant storage in your body can be supplied properly without stopping your treatment. More than that, they can also prevent many kinds of diseases caused by inflammation.
- Lowering Cholesterol
Cholesterol is mostly caused by saturated fats and your body has the healthy fats to lower its level. Eating avocados can help to boost the healthy fats level since it contains monounsaturated fatty acids and beta-sitosterol. This super fruit is free of sodium and cholesterol making it very appropriate for those who are dealing with this problem.
- Cutting heart Disease Risk
Heart disease is mostly caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol and inflammation related problems. Since avocado can help to lower the blood triglycerides and cholesterol with its monounsaturated fats, you have fewer problems to be aware of and the risk of getting this harmful disease is reduced as well. Furthermore, the levels of homocysteine, which is also one of the risks when they are getting high, can be regulated by folic acid and vitamin B contained in avocados. A study in 2013 also found that the symptoms of diabetes, stroke and coronary artery disease can be reduced by consuming avocado. So this is a good super food to include in your healthy daily meals.
- Treating Osteoarthritis
Avocado is containing anti-inflammatory agent such as fatty acids and phytosterols and they are good in treating osteoarthritis by providing nutrition to the bones and joints.
- Losing Weight
A study proved that avocados are great in keeping you full longer, which is good for a diet plan. The feeling of full can prevent you from eating more calories and get your weight cut bit by bit. You don’t have to worry eating avocados since this is low in carbs, high in fibers and they are surely excellent for helping you losing weight.
- Rich in Potassium
If you think that banana contains the highest potassium, you should upgrade your thought because it is avocado that has higher amount of it. Only 100 grams of avocado can provide 14 percent of the recommended potassium intake while banana only provides 10 percent. Potassium is very beneficial for your health, but many people are lacking of it. You can still eat bananas and sometimes you can add avocados to your meals when you skip your bananas to prevent you from feeling bored eating the same rich-potassium foods.
- Preventing Osteoporosis
Calcium is always known for the best nutrition for bones, but vitamin K is actually that important. Being rich in vitamin K, providing around 25 percent of the recommended intake for your body, avocado can prevent osteoporosis by keeping your bones healthy. Many people think that their bones only need vitamin D and calcium while vitamin K is usually underestimated when it comes to bones health. You do need calcium for your bones and that is why you also need vitamin K since it helps your body absorb calcium better.
- Improving Vision
There are tissues in human’s eyes that should be protected because they are guarding the eyes from damage and ultraviolet, just like antioxidants. Avocado can improve their function using its zeaxanthin and lutein, which can be found about 81 micrograms in an ounce. They are important antioxidants for your eyes as they are preventing some damage caused by degeneration, age and sun. Moreover, the monounsaturated fatty acids in this fruit are great in increase carotenoid absorptions, the required nutrients your vision’s health need that can be also found in this fruit, making avocado comes as a full package of vision-required nutrients.
- Regulating Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a cause of many chronic diseases such as stroke, heart attack and kidney. One of the reasons why blood pressure is getting high is because potassium deficiency. Eating foods rich in potassium will help to regulate your blood pressure. Richer than bananas, potassium amount in avocados is great for keeping your blood normal.
- Preventing Diabetes
Diabetes is dangerous, but it is sometimes undiagnosed. It happens in many cases that people with diabetes don’t realize that they are suffering from this disease because of the lacking symptoms. The feeling of hunger, thirst and urinating frequency increased are some possible diabetes symptoms to be aware of. Sometimes diabetes can also make you lose some weight without any reasons and causing some problems in your vision. If you are suffering from these symptoms or are already diagnosed with diabetes, eating avocado can help you with the treatment since the oleic acid and monounsaturated fats can improve the function of insulin and lower the levels of triglyceride and blood glucose. The vitamin C and E in avocados are also effective in strengthening the immune system and lowering the cholesterol oxidation. Also, this potassium-rich fruit is great in maintaining the blood sugar to prevent your diabetes and heart disease. You don’t have to wait till suffering from diabetes to eat avocados because they are nutritional even for healthy people.
- Treating Constipation
There are around eight grams of fiber contained in every one cup of avocado. Eating fiber is good for helping you regular whether you are having constipation or diarrhea. Fiber can improve your digestion; keep you full longer and even reduce colon cancer’s risk.
- Anti-Aging Properties
When it is eaten, your body gets benefits, when it is mashed; your skin gets the nutrients. You can even both eating and applying mashed avocado as a mask for caring your skin inside and outside. Containing antioxidants, avocados can make your skin look younger by fighting the aging signs. So if you want to naturally care your skin, try avocado.
- Nourishing Skin
Keeping your skin soft using avocado is very easy and simple. You can mix mashed avocado with olive or avocado oil and apply it to your skin especially on the dry areas. Leave it to sit for about five minutes before washing and your skin will softer and more nourished.
- Treating Frizzy Hair
Frizzy and damaged hair is frustrating, but it is easy to treat using avocado. Just like what you do to your dry skin, you can do the same, mixing mashed potato with avocado oil, to massage your scalp and hair. Do this before shampooing by letting it sit for about 15 minutes. Your hair would end up smoother and better. You can also apply avocado oil to make your hair shining and easy to manage.
- Scrubbing Hand
Keep your hands moisturized by scrubbing it with a mixture of mashed potatoes and sugar or ground oats. Just keep scrubbing and let it sit for five minutes before washing. This natural scrub can remove and exfoliate the dead skin cells leaving your hand smoother, more moisturized and nourished.
- Protecting Skin from Sunscreen
Avocado is rich in antioxidants, when it is turned to oil, it can provide sunscreen protection to your skin while preventing damage caused by the environment. There are soothing properties in the oil that can heal your sunburnt skin. So don’t forget to apply this natural oil before going out.
- Revitalizing Scalp
Not only avocado is good for your dry and frizzy hair, but it is also nice for your itchy scalp. Use mashed avocado along with proteins and amino acids to massage your scalp will keep it revitalized and nourished.
- Glowing Skin
Making your skin glowing is as easy as drinking a cup of avocado juice. You don’t need to spend a lot of money and put tiring effort just to keep your skin healthy. Just mix a cup of milk, ripped avocado and honey into your blender. This is sweet, creamy and smooth. The vitamins and minerals contained can keep away the dryness and dullness of your skin.
Avocado is very flexible to use, not only to be consumed, but also to be applied to your skin and hair. Your body can get the benefits fully easily and naturally. However, take some notes that everything has some side effects no matter how wonderful the benefits are. Here are some things to be aware of.
Avocado Side Effects
- Hypersensitive
Avocado is great for normal people, not the hypersensitive ones. So if you are suffering from this, don’t eat avocado as it might lead to vomiting or allergic reactions to your skin. You can try to eat just a small amount of it if you don’t know whether you are hypersensitive or not just to check the reaction of your body or just ask your doctor about it.
- Pregnancy
Eating too much avocado is not good for pregnant women since it can make the baby suffering from upset stomach. Not only your baby, you yourself can feel the same way and it happens to everyone eating too much avocado. Also, when you are breast feeding, this fruit might reduce the production of milk. So you can avoid eating avocado during pregnancy and breast feeding.
- Liver
Avocado is actually good for your health, but the Mexican avocado is the one to avoid for those suffering from liver function since it has anethole and estragole as they lead to some reactions of carcinogenic.
- Weight
Avocado is indeed excellent in helping you lose some weight since it keeps your stomach full longer. However, it is containing calorie, which when eaten too much your weight can be added. So pay attention to how much you eat it.
- Medicines
Certain medicines for ant inflammation might not work properly in your body if you eat avocados along with your treatment. So try to not consume it when you are taking medicines. Also, even if you are not taking the medicines, limit your intake to prevent blood thinning from taking too much avocados.
Tips Consuming Avocado
Since you now know the benefits and side effects, you can learn how to consume it to give you more ideas in including it to your daily meals.
- Plain Avocado
If you want it to be very easy and simple, just eat plain avocado directly and get the benefits. You can add more natural flavor with lemon juice, paprika or your favorite seasonings to make it tastier.
- Avocado Spread
Mashing avocado and spreading it to your toast to substitute butter as a healthier option. You can also use it to substitute mayonnaise for eating sandwich or chicken salad. You should use ripped avocados to soften it easily since firm avocados are hard to mash and less smooth.
- Avocado Salad
Firmer avocados can be diced for salad. You can also use ripped avocados since both of them are healthy and natural. Chop your avocados and mix with chopped tomato, onion, lettuce, pepper, salt, olive oil and lemon juice for a healthy salad. Use other types of your favorite vegetables if you want. Make your own avocado salad and get the benefits.
- Garnish and Dressings
Chopped avocadoes can be used to garnish your favorite healthy soups to make it tastier or dress any kinds of food that you have at home.
- Avocado Smoothie
Drink a glass of healthy avocado smoothie in the morning can keep you full for the next some hours. Mix it with banana and yogurt would be great. You can also use oat and milk as the mixture depending on your personal taste as long as you put healthy ingredients. Add in honey for the natural sweetener to make it better.
- Avocado Dip
Mix mashed avocado and lemon juice, salt and diced potato can be a great guacamole recipe. This would be healthier and you can enjoy it with chips.
- Avocado Sandwiches
Instead of mayonnaise, which is unhealthy, use avocado for your sandwich by mashing it with your tuna and putting it on your favorite whole grain bread. Add some seasonings like pepper and salt and vegetables such as lettuce and tomato if you like. You would have creamy and healthy sandwich that can keep your hunger at bay.
Whether you mix it with other ingredients or enjoy it itself, you can still get all the benefits both for your skin and health, surely with some precautions in the amount.