Avocado is a type of fruit which has nutty flavor and people loves to consume it as dessert, side dish and just consume it raw. Avocado is originated from South America especially Mexico and we know that Mexican is popular with their guacamole recipe. Avocado plant has been cultivated since 8000 years ago by Guatemalan and then it spread to the other parts of the world.
People in United States or other country call it as alligator pear since it has rough, green and thick skin just like the skin of alligator. Avocado has thick, smooth and creamy flesh with unique scent. the flesh contains many nutrients and provide benefits for human body. Usually people take the flesh to be consumed and just throw out the seed to the garbage. But do you know that avocado seed also give great benefits and can be useful for human health? To know more about the benefits of avocado seed, check the explanation below.
Nutrition facts
People consider avocado seed as waste or usually regard it as a source of seedlings that suitable for rootstock usage. Beyond people consideration, avocado seed contain many potential constituent that gives lots benefits to human body. Some researches have been conducted to find out the nutrient content of avocado seed. Here the table of avocado seed nutrients content in commonly as different varieties may have different nutrient content also.
|
Constituent |
mg/100gr |
Constituent |
mg/100gr |
|
Carbohydrate |
48.11 |
Copper |
0.98 |
|
Protein |
17.9 |
Magnesium |
0.31 |
|
Fat |
16.54 |
Saponins |
19.21 |
|
Fibre |
3.10 |
Tannins |
0.24 |
|
Sodium |
0.30 |
Flavonoids |
1.90 |
|
Calcium |
14.15 |
Alkaloids |
0.72 |
|
Magnesium |
         26.16 |
Phenols |
6.14 |
|
Phosporus |
31.33 |
Steroid |
0.09 |
|
Potassium |
100.83 |
Ash |
2.40 |
|
Zinc |
0. 09 |
Iron |
1.28 |
We never realized that avocado seed contains so many nutrients that can jeep body health. Most benefits of avocado seed may come from the flavonoid, and mineral contents. Here are some list of avocado seed benefits
1. Lower blood pressure
First health benefits of avocado seed is to lowering blood pressure. Research has proven that avocado seed contains very high amount of potassium which can help in maintaining normal blood pressure and lower the blood pressure in people who suffer from hypertension. Potassium also help to regulate the fluid balance inside the blood so it will not rise the blood pressure.
2. Reduce cholesterol
Avocado seed contains dietary fiber which inside the body can bind the cholesterol and throw it out from the body. The fiber content of avocado seed also prevent the cholesterol or bad fat or LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) to enter the blood vessel wall and causing other health problem.
3. Prevent atherosclerosis
Avocado seed can reduce the cholesterol by the fiber content and it is also effective to protect the arteries wall from cholesterol accumulation which resulting in arteries wall thickening or atherosclerosis. As we know that atherosclerosis itself can increase the risk of heart disease as well as stroke.
4. Reduce the risk of heart disease
By maintaining normal blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis, avocado seed has been proven can lower the risk of heart disease especially in people who have cardiovascular system disorder. The potassium, fiber and other nutrients will work together to keep the healthy heart work better.
5. Strengthen bones
Who knows that avocado seed also high in calcium and can be effective in keeping bone mass density. Calcium is a crucial mineral which is needed in the bones development and maintaining the mass from suffering osteoporosis or other bones disorder.
6. Strengthen immune system
Our immune system can work more efficient by the help of some nutrient including zinc. Avocado seed contains zinc which can promotes immune response and strengthen the immune cells to fight against the disease.
7. Prevent and treat anemia
Anemia is a condition where the body get lack of oxygen and nutrient transport from the red blood cells and resulting in poor stamina and productivity. Avocado seed contains iron which can be helpful in treating and prevent anemia since iron is the key factor of the red blood cells formation.
8. Promote health digestion
None of other nutrients that can promote the digestion system better that dietary fiber. Fiber seems the most important thing that required by the digestion process since it can help the digestion process and improving the absorption of many other nutrients inside the body.
9. Treat constipation
It is believe that fiber content of avocado seed also give benefits in ease the defecation process and help feces formation within the colon. The avocado seed fiber can help the bowel move into the large intestine and then eliminated it from the body. Avocado seeds also contains active constituents such as saponins and tannins that known as natural laxative that can trigger elimination process.
10. Maintain fluid balance
Our body consist of liquid the most and avocado seed contains high level of potassium which is the mineral that control the fluid balance inside the body and keep the body from suffering dehydration.
11. Calming nerve
Avocado seed also contains many other minerals including magnesium. Magnesium is other type of mineral which play role in the nervous system signalling and control. Magnesium can give relaxing effect to nerve and help it to work better.
12. Help to repair body damage
Avocado seed contains some amount of protein that can help in repairing body organ or tissue damage that caused by several oxidative stress. The protein within avocado seed will promotes the body to form new cells to replace the broken one.
13. Prevent cancer
Such an amazing facts that avocado seed contains many active substance that also effective in fighting and preventing cancer. Avocado seed contains flavonoid that acts as antioxidant which protect the cells from any damage that caused by free radicals and later can trigger the development of cancer cells. According to study which published in International Journal of Pharmacy, avocado seed can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells since it contains many phytochemicals and those phytochemical are toxic to the cancer cells.
14. Maintain healthy skin
Avocado seed can be extracted or processed to produce avocado seed powder that can be use in beauty skin care treatment. Avocado seed contains antioxidant and it can be beneficial to keep young skin due to its ability to prevent the free radical damage that is the main factor of aging on skin. And most important according to study, 70% the antioxidant content of avocado is lay on its seed.
15. Reduce inflammation
The antioxidant content in avocado seed also act as anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation within the body including reduce pain in patient that suffer from joint arthritis. Arthritis is a disorder that will lead the patient to experience severe pain on the joints part due to inflammation and uric acid accumulation.
16. Help in weight loss
Avocado seed contains fiber that can make you feel satiety longer and prevednt you from craving more food. The fiber in avocado seed also will bind the fat in food and inhibit the absorption of fat within the body.
17. Maintain blood sugar level
According to study, avocado seed’s fiber not only help in maintaining healthy digestion but it also helpful in stabilizing the blood sugar level. This makes the avocado seed is save to be consumed by diabetes patient.
18. Prevent from Muscle Cramps
Consuming enough magnesium per day can prevent the body from muscle cramps that can bother your activity and produce severe pain. Avocado seeds contains high amount of Potassium that can fulfill the daily value intake of potassium
Avocado seed seems doesn’t have any side effect to the body and it is totally save to be consumed just remember not to consume it excessively since it contains natural laxative it may causing mild diarrhea or other digestive problem. As mentioned by some sources that the avocado seed can be used to make some dishes including smoothies and it will not change the characteristic of its flavor. Just cut the avocado fruit in the middle and get the seed out. Later cut the seed slowly and chopped it into small pieces. After you get the pieces of the avocado seed you can add it to you favorite smoothies and combine it with other fruit to boost the benefits. Don’t be hesitated, just ry and grab the benefits.